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Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


Penny  and  the  Sheriff  match  wits  under  the  stars. 


PENNY 

ST  Top  Hill  Trail 

By 
Belle  Kanaris  Maniates 


Author  of 

'Amarilly  of  Clothes-Line  Alley/ 
"  Mildew  Manse/'  etc. 


Frontispiece  by 
Philip  Lyford 


The  Reilly  &  Lee  Co. 

CHICAGO 


Copyright,  1919 

By 

The  Reilly  &  Lee  Co. 


All  Rights  Reserved 


Made  in  [/.  5.  A. 

Published,  Feb.  8,  1919 
Seconi  Printing,  JEebvtO,:  1919 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


PENNY 
cfTop  Hill  Trail 

CHAPTER  I       ::;\«    | 

On  an  afternoon  in  early  spring  a  man 
lounged  against  the  wall  of  the  station  wait- 
ing for  the  express  from  the  east.  Slender 
of  waist  and  hip,  stalwart  of  shoulder,  some 
seventy-two  inches  of  sinewy  height,  he  was 
the  figure  of  the  typical  cattleman.  His  eyes 
were  deep-set  and  far-seeing;  his  lean,  brown 
face,  roughened  by  outdoor  life,  was  austere 
and  resolute  in  expression. 

The  train  had  barely  stopped  when  a  boy- 
ish-looking, lithe-limbed  youth  leaped  from 
the  platform.  The  blue  serge  suit  and  checked 
cap  he  wore  did  not  disguise  the  fact  that  his 
working  clothes  —  his  field  uniform  —  were 
those  of  a  cow-puncher.  A  few  quick  strides 
brought  him  to  the  man  in  waiting. 

"Hoped  you'd  be  on  hand  to  meet  me, 
7 

M18918 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


Kurt,  so  I  could  get  out  to  the  ranch  to- 
night.    How's  things  up  there?" 

"Just  the  same  as  they  were  when  you 
left;-  Jo,"  said  the  one  addressed  in  whimsical 
tone.  "  You've  only  been  gone  ten  days,  you 
know." 

"  You  don't  say !  "  ejaculated  Jo,  following 
his  companion  through  the  depot  "  City 
does  age  a  man." 

Gone  are  the  days  of  The  Golden  West 
when  spurred  and  revolvered  horsemen 
sprang  into  saddles  and  loped  out  of  the 
brush,  or  skimmed  over  matted  mesquite  on 
a  buckboard  drawn  by  swift-running  ponies. 

A  long  racing  car  was  waiting  for  the  twa 
men  and  they  were  soon  speeding  over  a 
hard-baked,  steel-like  road  that  led  up,  around 
and  over  the  far-flung,  undulating  hills  before 
them. 

"  I  thought  Kingdon's  best  car  was  worth 
a  million  bucks  before  I  went  to  Chicago," 
said  Joe  critically,  "but  it  sure  would  look 
like  a  two-spot  on  Michigan  Avenue." 

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Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


The  other  smiled  indulgently. 

"I  trust  everything  out  here  won't  suffer 
by  comparison  with  the  things  you  have  seen 
during  your  journey." 

"  I  should  say  not !  It  all  looks  pretty  good 
to  me.  I  wouldn't  change  this  trail  to  Top 
Hill  for  all  the  boulevards  and  asphalts  of 
Chicago,  and  our  ranch-house  has  got  any 
hotel  I  saw  skinned  by  a  mile  for  real  living. 
I  had  some  vacation,  though,  and  it  was 
mighty  good  of  you  to  send  me  on  that  busi- 
ness. I  'tended  to  it,  all  right  as  soon  as  I 
got  there,  before  I  took  in  any  of  the  sights 
or  let  loose  for  my  '  time.'  I  won't  forget  it 
in  you,  Kurt  —  to  send  me  instead  of  going 
yourself." 

"Well,  Jo,  you'd  been  cooped  up  here  a 
long  time  for  a  youngster,"  said  Kurt,  laying 
a  hand  on  the  younger  man's  shoulder,  "  and 
I  saw  you  were  rarin'  for  a  little  recreation. 
I  thought  you  would  settle  down  to  a  hard 
season's  work  if  you  let  out  a  little.  I 
received  your  report  and  check.     You  man- 

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Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


aged  that  cattle  deal  very  shrewdly.  King- 
don  was  much  pleased." 

"That's  encouraging,  but  I  feel  better  at 
pleasing  you,  Kurt." 

They  rode  on  without  talking  for  some 
distance.  From  time  to  time  Kurt  cast  a 
searching  glance  at  the  young  man  whose 
eyes  shone  with  a  strange,  steady  light  —  a 
look  of  exaltation  and  despair  combined. 

The  car  slowed  down  to  conversational 
need. 

What  'tis,  Jo?  Did  you  come  to  grief 
when  you  '  let  loose? '  Let  go  all  your  earn- 
ings in  one  big  game  without  any  way-slips, 
or  did  you  have  such  a  round  of  theatres, 
cabarets  and  night-life  that  you  are  feeling 
the  depression  of  reaction?" 

"  You're  guessing  wrong,"  replied  Jo  quiet- 
ly. "I  know  that's  the  way  most  of  us 
grass-fed  men  act  when  we  get  a  chance  at 
white  lights.  I  had  a  beautiful  time  that  was 
as  short  and  as  far  off  as  a  pleasant  dream. 
As  I  said,  I  started  out  for  a  regular  time, 

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Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


but  I  didn't  take  a  drink,  or  touch  a  card, 
or  —  say,  Kurt,  I  think  Fd  like  to  tell  you 
about  it !  I  know  you  won't  kid  me,  for  I'm 
in  earnest  and  —  in  trouble." 

Another  quick  glance  at  the  blue  eyes, 
usually  so  brimming  with  sparkling  gayety 
but  which  were  now  serious  and  despondent, 
brought  a  transformation  to  the  grim  face 
of  the  older  man,  making  him  look  kinder, 
warmer,  younger. 

"  Shoot,  Jo ! "  was  all  he  said,  but  the  lad 
felt  that  the  crude  word  was  backed  up  by 
a  real  interest,  a  readiness  to  hear  and  advise, 

"  Some  one  gave  me  a  steer  to  a  dance 
place,"  he  began.  "Hurricane  Hall,  I  think 
it  was  called,  and  as  soon  as  I  looked  in,  I 
saw  it  was  tougher  even  than  a  cowboy's 
cravings  called  for ;  but  I  sort  of  stuck  around 
until  I  happened  to  look  at  one  of  the  tables 
over  in  a  cornered-off  place.  A  little  girl 
was  sitting  there  alone,  different  from  all 
those  other  fierce-looking  ones  who  were 
dressed  in  high  water  skirts  and  with  waists 

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Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


that  looked  as  if  they  needed  inside  blinds 
to  get  by. 

"  She  had  on  a  white  dress,  a  real  dress  — 
not  a  skirt  and  bib  —  that  covered  her,  and 
without  much  fixings.  Her  hair  was  drawn 
back  plain  like  a  kid's.  I  knew  right  off  she'd 
got  in  wrong,  and  I  thought  it  was  up  to  me 
to  get  her  out  of  that  joint. 

"  I  went  over  to  her  and  said :  '  Excuse 
my  nerve,  little  girl,  but  I  guess  you're  in  the 
wrong  pew.' 

"  She  looked  at  me  sort  of  funny ;  then  she 
smiled  and  said :     'Same  to  you ! ' 

"  Her  voice  sounded  like  low,  soft  music  — 
contralto  kind. 

"  '  Yes ; '  I  said.  '  You're  right.  I'm  a  cow- 
boy, not  a  country  boy,  and  I'm  in  Chicago 
to  see  the  sights;  but  I'd  ask  for  blinders  if 
I  stayed  around  here  much  longer.  Who 
brought  you  here? ' 

"  '  Nobody,'  she  said,  looking  down.  ■  I 
came  by  myself.' 

" '  I'm  glad  of  it,'  I  tell  her,  '  and  I'm  the 

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Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


guy  that's  going   to  take  you   away   from 
here/ 

"  *  Why?  '  she  asked  me,  '  and  how  do  you 
know  I'll  go  with  you/ 

"  She'd  kept  her  eyes  away  from  me  all 
this  time.    I  said:    '  Look  at  me/ 

"  She  did.  Right  at  me,  the  way  kids  do  — 
not  bold  —  just  curious.  Good  night!  It 
did  something  to  my  heart  when  her  eyes 
looked  into  mine  that  way. 

"'Can  you  trust  me?'  I  asked  after  a 
minute. 

"  '  Yes/  she  said;  and  I  knew  she  meant  it. 

" '  I  want  to  dance  with  you/  I  told  her, 
*  but  I  don't  want  to  do  it  here/ 

"  '  Where  can  we  go  ?  '  she  asked. 

" '  I  know  a  man  in  Chicago/  I  said,  '  who 
has  asked  me  to  come  to  his  place.  It  ain't 
stylish  enough  for  you,  but  it's  run  right  and 
respectable.  It  ain't  very  far  from  here. 
Reilly's.    Know  it?' 

"  '  I've  heard  of  it/  she  said,  '  but  I've  never 
been  there/ 

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Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


"  Of  course  she  hadn't.  I'd  seen  right  off 
she  was  just  a  kid  and  hadn't  been  around 
to  places. 

"'  Will  you  go  there  with  me  now?'  I 
asked  her. 

"'Yes;'  she  said.  'I  know  you're  all 
right.' 

"  Maybe  I  wasn't  feeling  good  when  I'd 
got  her  out  of  there  and  steered  her  through 
the  streets!  She  was  a  little  mite  of  a  thing, 
and  young,  but  very  quiet;  her  eyes  had  a 
sad  look. 

"  We  went  to  Reilly's :  He  was  up  here 
in  the  hill  country  once  for  a  vacation  —  the 
time  you  were  out  on  the  coast.  We  fellows 
gave  him  some  time,  and  he  liked  it  fine. 
Well,  he  told  us  the  place  was  ours.  The 
music  was  great,  and  we  started  right  out  on 
the  floor.  Say!  I  was  feeling  as  fit  and 
stepping  as  lively  as  if  I  had  had  a  million 
drinks,  but  I  hadn't  had  one.  There  was  no 
getting  around  it.  That  little  girl  in  her 
white  dress  had  landed  me  one  right  ovej? 

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Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


the  heart.  She  slipped  into  my  arms  as  quick 
as  she  had  into  my  heart,  too.  I  danced  the 
way  I  felt,  and  she  —  well,  she  was  right  with 
me  every  time:  the  slickest  little  stepper  I 
ever  saw.  Not  dance-mad,  like  those  profes- 
sional kind;  she  let  me  set  the  pace  and  she 
followed  any  lead. 

"  Reilly  came  up  to  us  on  the  floor  and 
offered  to  introduce  us  to  folks.  I  asked  him 
if  he  remembered  the  time  I  gave  him  out 
west,  and  he  said  he  could  never  forget  it 
and  he  was  now  aiming  to  return  it  best  he 
knew  how.  -  Take  it  from  me/  I  said,  '  that 
I  can  get  right  returns  from  you  if  you'll  not 
give  any  other  fellow  the  chance  to  butt  in 
on  these  dances/  '  I'm  on/  he  said,  and  he 
let  us  alone. 

"We  danced  every  time  without  talking 
any.  When  it  came  closing  time,  Reilly  came 
up  again  and  said:  'This  is  the  hour  we 
quit,  but  it  don't  mean  for  my  guests.  Come 
back  in  this  little  room  and  have  refresh- 
ments on  me/ 

IS 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


"He  showed  us  into  a  little  ring-around- 
the-rosy  room  with  lights  half  off  and  asks: 
'What'll  you  have?' 

"  *  Coffee/  I  said  quickly  and  warningly, 
and  the  kid  said :    '  I'll  have  the  same.' 

"Reilly  laughed  —  because  I  took  coffee, 
I  suppose.  We  got  it  good  and  hot,  with 
sandwiches  and  pickles  thrown  in.  Then  we 
talked.  Someway  she  got  me  to  do  most  of 
the  talking.  She  wanted  to  hear  all  about 
ranches  and  cowboys  and  me.  Her  eyes  got 
bright,  and  she  said  it  was  better  than  movies, 
and  she  wished  she  could  see  my  country. 
I  told  her  she  would,  because  I  was  going  to 
take  her  there.  She  didn't  say  anything  to 
that.  Pretty  soon  Reilly  comes  in  and  tells 
me  he  wants  to  give  us  the  best  time  he  knows 
how  all  right,  but  were  we  planning  to  stay 
to  breakfast?  When  I  saw  what  time  it  was, 
I  took  the  hint  and  we  got  right  up.  I  asked 
him  what  there  was  to  pay,  and  he  said  if  I 
tried  to  pay,  I'd  have  to  do  it  over  his  dead 
body.    We  went  out  into  the  night,  only  'twas 

ifl 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


morning.  I  asked  her  what  her  folks  would 
say. 

"  ■  I  have  no  folks/  she  said  kind  of  sad- 
like. 

"  That  made  me  feel  good. 

"  *  I  am  glad  of  that/  I  told  her,  '  because 
I  want  you  all  to  myself/ 

"  Then  I  thought  she  must  be  working,  and 
I  told  her  1  was  sorry  to  have  kept  her  up 
so  late  because  she'd  be  too  tired  to  go  to 
work.  She  said  she  was  out  of  a  job,  but  was 
expecting  something  soon. 

" -  I  am  glad  of  that,  too/  I  said. 

"  She  looked  sort  of  surprised,  so  I  knew 
Fd  been  too  sudden,  but  you  see,  time  was 
short  with  me.  I  told  her  Fd  be  in  Chicago 
another  twenty-four  hours  and  would  she 
help  show  me  around.  I  had  never  been  on 
one  of  the  big  boats  and  Reilly  had  told  me 
about  a  fine  tour  to  take  to  some  Saint  place. 
She  knew  where  he  meant,  though  she  had 
never  been  there.  She  said  folks  who  lived 
in  Chicago   didn't  go  outside  much.     They 

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Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


left  the  trips  for  visitors.  She  promised 
to  meet  me  at  the  dock  in  a  few  hours. 

"  She  wouldn't  let  me  go  all  the  way  home 
with  her.  She  said  she  had  reasons,  and 
made  me  leave  her  on  a  corner  which  she 
said  was  quite  close  to  where  she  lived.  It 
was  an  awful  poor  part  of  the  city,  and  I 
suppose  she  didn't  want  me  to  know  how 
humble  her  home  was.  As  if  I  cared  for  that ! 
It  was  so  near  light  I  knew  she  would  be 
safe,  but  I  stood  there  on  guard  for  a  few 
minutes  after  she  left. 

"  Believe  me,  I  was  right  on  time  at  the 
dock,  and  she  came  soon  after  I  did.  She 
had  on  a  plain,  dark  suit,  neat,  little  shoes, 
and  a  hat  down  over  her  eyes  like  the  girls 
in  movies  wear.  I'd  passed  a  corner  on  the 
way  to  the  boat  where  they  sold  flowers. 
There  were  some  violets  that  looked  like  her. 
I  bought  a  big  bunch  and  when  I  gave  them 
to  her,  she  sort  of  gasped  and  said  no  one 
had  ever  bought  flowers  for  her  before.  I 
was  glad  to  hear  that.     I  asked  her  hadn't 

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Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


she  ever  had  a  fellow,  and  she  said  she  hadn't. 
I  told  her  I  couldn't  see  why,  unless  it  was 
because  she  didn't  want  one.  She  looked  up 
at  me  sort  of  shy  and  said  she  might  have 
had  one  most  any  time,  but  that  there  had 
never  been  one  she  cared  for  before. 

"  I  could  have  hugged  her  right  there  on 
the  dock  for  that  '  before,'  but  it  was  time 
for  the  boat  to  start.  There  weren't  many 
going.  It  was  early  in  the  season,  she  said. 
We  went  up  on  deck  and  sat  by  the  rail  and 
maybe  old  Lake  Michigan  didn't  look  spark- 
ling! Everything  looked  sparkling  to  me. 
She  was  as  happy  as  a  kid  with  a  new  doll, 
because  she  had  never  been  on  a  boat  before. 
When  we  got  to  the  place  —  St.  Joe,  she  said 
it  was  —  there  were  all  sorts  of  things  to  do 
that  beat  Chicago  all  to  bits  for  a  good  time. 
There  was  a  big  sandy  beach  that  made  me 
want  to  go  in  the  water,  but  she  said  it  was 
too  early.  So  we  sat  in  the  sun-warmed  sand 
and  watched  the  waves,  and  we  got  our  pic- 
tures taken,  and  tried  a  Wheel  of  Fortune. 

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Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


We  went  to  a  big  hotel  and  had  a  good  din- 
ner, though  they  didn't  have  any  of  the  things 
that  were  down  on  their  program.  The 
waiter  said  it  was  a  bill  of  fare  left  over 
from  last  year.  We  didn't  mind  that.  After 
dinner  we  rode  out  to  a  place  to  see  some 
guys  that  looked  like  pictures  in  the  Old 
Testament.    They  lived  in  David's  House,  too. 

"  It  was  an  awfully  short  afternoon  some- 
way. We  had  supper  at  the  hotel  and  took 
the  boat  home.  What  few  passengers  there 
were  besides  us  stayed  shut  up  in  the  cabin, 
so  we  had  the  deck  and  the  light  of  the  new 
moon  all  to  ourselves. 

"  She  shivered  a  little,  but  I  had  brought 
an  extra  coat,  because  I  had  seen  Reilly 
before  I  went  and  he  told  me  to  take  one.  I 
wrapped  her  up  in  it,  and  when  I  buttoned 
it  around  her  chin,  I  did  what  I'd  been  aching 
to  do  since  I  first  met  her,  but  had  slipped 
on  my  courage.  She  was  looking  down  in  a 
shy,  little  way  she  has  —  and  I  kissed  her. 
When  she  lifted  her  eyes,  there  was  such  a 

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Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


surprised  little  look  in  them,  I  felt  just  as  if 
I  had  hurt  a  baby. 

"  ■  I  didn't  mean  to  do  it/  I  said,  '  but  I 
couldn't  help  it.     Will  you  forgive  me?' 

" '  Fll  forgive  you,'  she  said  in  a  low  voice 
after  a  moment,  '  but  you  mustn't  —  again.' 

"  She  meant  it,  so  I  didn't,  but  she  let  me 
hold  her  hand  and  we  sat  quiet  and  watched 
the  moon-shine  on  the  water. 

"  I  asked  her  if  she'd  had  a  good  time,  and 
she  told  me  it  had  been  the  most  wonderful 
day  of  her  life  —  different  from  all  others. 

"'  Honest?'  I  asked. 

"  She  didn't  answer,  but  looked  off  over 
the  water,  and  I  saw  a  tear  on  her  cheek. 

"  '  Honest?  '  I  said  again. 

"  '  Yes ; '  she  said.  '  Honest,  and  I  never 
knew  before  what  it  was  to  be  honest.' 

"  I  didn't  know  What  she  meant,  but  we 
had  got  to  Chicago  now.  It  wasn't  very  late 
and  I  asked  her  should  we  go  to  Reilly's  again, 
and  she  said  it  would  spoil  the  day.  I  thought 
so,  too.    On  the  way  to  where  I'd  left  her  the 

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Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


night  before,  there  was  a  little  park.  We 
went  in  and  sat  on  one  of  the  benches.  It  was 
only  a  little  clump  of  trees,  but  it  made  a  nice 
place  to  visit,  because  there  was  no  one 
around.  People  in  cities  don't  act  like  they 
were  seasoned  to  outdoors  except  when  it's 
hot  weather. 

"  I  was  booked  to  leave  the  next  morning, 
so  I  couldn't  let  any  grass  grow.  I  asked  her 
to  marry  me. 

"  '  I  wish  you  hadn't  asked  me,'  she  said, 
and  her  voice  sounded  like  there  were  tears 
in  her  eyes. 

"'Why?'  I  asked. 

"  '  I  wish,'  she  went  on  without  taking  any 
notice  of  me  —  just  like  she  was  talking  to 
herself  — '  that  I  dared  love  a  man  like  you.' 

"  That  was  all  I  cared  to  know.  For  the 
ghost  of  a  second  I  held  her  in  my  arms,  but 
she  slipped  out  of  them,  and  I  saw  her  face 
was  pale. 

"  '  You  do  love  me ! '  I  said. 

"  '  I  do,'  she  repeated  after  me.      ■  A  lot. 

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Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


If  it  was  a  little  bit,  I'd  marry  you,  but  I  love 
you  so  much,  I'll  tell  you  why  I  can  never 
marry  you.  You're  the  first  man  that  ever 
treated  me  like  I  was  white.  I'm  pretty  bad, 
I  know,  but  I  am  not  so  bad  as  to  do  you 
wrong.' 

"  I  told  her  I  didn't  know  what  she  meant, 
but  there  was  nothing  in  the  world  that  should 
come  between  us. 

"  '  I  tried  to  tell  you  to-night  on  the  boat, 
when  you  asked  me  to  tell  you  how  much  I 
had  enjoyed  the  day,'  she  went  on  just  as 
though  I  hadn't  spoken,  '  when  you  said 
"Honest"  But  I  couldn't.  I  was  afraid  to 
tell  you  I  couldn't  do  anything  honest.' 

"  Then  she  told  me  she  was  a  thief.  She 
didn't  try  to  make  any  excuses  for  herself, 
but  when  I  heard  her  little  hard  luck  story 
and  knew  what  she'd  always  been  up  against, 
I  didn't  wonder  that  she  stole  or  committed 
any  crime.  She  had  had  a  regular  Cinderella 
step-mother  who  had  licked  her  when  she 
was  a  kid  because  she  took  food  from  the 

23 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


pantry  when  she  was  hungry.  The  old  hag 
called  it  stealing  and  warned  the  school  teacher, 
and  the  other  kids  got  hold  of  it  and  of  course 
you  know  what  it  does  to  any  one  to  get  a 
black  eye.  She  had  the  name  of  a  thief  wished 
on  her  until  she  got  to  be  one.  She  was 
expelled  from  school;  put  in  a  reformatory; 
ran  away;  stole  to  keep  herself  alive.  Then 
they  all  took  a  hand  at  her  —  ministers,  society 
girls,  charitable  associations;  they  gave  her 
a  bum  steer  and  made  her  feel  she  was  a 
hopeless  outcast,  so  she  felt  more  at  home 
with  the  vagrant  class.  The  only  person  who 
had  ever  made  her  feel  she  wanted  to  be 
straight  was  a  Salvation  Army  woman,  but 
she  had  gone  away  and  no  one  was  left  to 
care  now. 

"  I  didn't  let  her  go  any  further.  I  told 
her  /  cared  and  I  cared  all  the  more  since  I 
had  heard  her  story;  and  that  she  was  honest, 
or  she  wouldn't  have  told  me  about  herself. 
What  did  I  care  what  she  had  been  or  done? 
Her  life  was  going  to  begin  right  then  with 

24 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


me.  I  couldn't  budge  her.  I  talked  and 
pleaded,  and  at  last  she  gave  in  —  a  little. 
She  said  she'd  think  it  over  and  meet  me  at 
the  little  park  in  the  morning,  and  then  she'd 
talk  some  more  about  it. 

"  So  we  parted  until  morning  came.  But 
I  made  up  my  mind  that  if  she  wouldn't 
consent,  I'd  simply  kidnap  her  and  bring  her 
up  here  to  Mrs.  Kingdon. 

"  I  was  on  hand  bright  and  early  at  the 
park  next  morning,  and  after  a  while  a  slov- 
enly slip  of  a  girl  came  up  to  me  and  asked  my 
name.  I  told  her.  She  gave  me  a  note  and 
then  started  off  like  a  skyrocket,  but  I'm  some 
spry  myself  and  I  caught  her  and  held  her 
till  I'd  read  the  note.  It  was  from  her  and 
she  said  she  couldn't  give  me  the  worst  of  the 
bargain.  That  she  was  going  to  try  hard  to 
see  if  she  could  make  good  and  live  without 
stealing,  and  when  she  was  sure,  she'd  send 
word  to  me  through  Mr.  Reilly,  and  if  I  never 
heard,  I  could  know  she  had  failed  and  for  me 
to  forget  her. 

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Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


"  '  Where  is  she?  '  I  asked  the  girl,  who  was 
squirming  like  an  eel. 

"  '  I  dunno,'  she  said.     ■  She's  left  town/ 

'"1  don't  believe  it!'  I  said. 

" '  Yes,  she  has/  said  the  girl.  '  She 
pawned  all  her  togs  —  that  new  white  dress 
and  the  swell  shoes  and  her  new  suit  and  hat 
to  get  money  to  make  a  getaway.' 

"  I  might  as  well  have  tried  to  hang  on 
to  a  fish  as  to  hold  that  slippery  little  street 
Arab.  She  broke  away  and  ran.  I  was  after 
her,  but  it  was  no  use.  She  knew  the  inns 
and  outs  of  the  alleys  like  a  rat  and  I  lost 
her.  You  see,  I  didn't  know  my  girl's  last 
name.  When  I  asked  her,  she  said :  5  Call 
me  Marta.'  I  didn't  care  about  knowing 
her  last  name  then,  because  I  was  so  keen 
to  give  her  my  own  name. 

"  I  was  just  about  crazy.  I  hunted  all  over 
the  part  of  the  city  where  I'd  left  her  the 
first  night.  Then  I  went  to  see  Reilly,  but 
he  didn't  know  who  she  was.  I  made  him 
see  what  it  meant  to  me  to  find  her,  and  he 

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Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


promised  to  try  his  best  and  to  forward  at 
once  any  letter  that  came  to  him.  If  I  don't 
hear  after  a  while,  when  work  gets  slack  so 
you  can  spare  me,  I'm  going  to  Chicago  and 
go  through  it  with  a  fine  tooth  comb.  Reilly 
will  help  me  follow  every  girl  by  the  name  of 
Marta  that's  ever  lived  there." 

Kurt's  eyes,  full  of  infinite  pity  and  regret, 
turned  to  Jo  as  he  broke  the  little  pause  that 
followed. 

"  She  is  doubtless  a  poor  little  stray  of  a 
girl  and  luck  has  been  against  her,  but,  Jo, 
put  all  thoughts  of  marrying  her  away,  just 
as  she  has.  Wait  —  "  he  hurried  on,  seeing 
the  anger  kindling  in  the  lad's  eyes  —  "  if  it 
were  any  other  offense  —  But  a  thief !  ■  Once 
a  thief,  always  a  thief,'  is  the  truest  saying 
I  know.    Your  love  couldn't  —  " 

"It  didn't  make  any  change  in  my  feelings 
when  she  told  me,"  said  Joe  stanchly.  "  She 
could  steal  anything  I  had." 

"  It  might  not  change  your  feelings,  but  it 
should  change  your  intentions.    Do  you  mean 

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Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


you'd  marry  —  "  Kurt  had  an  incredulous 
expression  on  his  face. 

"  In  a  second,  if  she'd  have  me.  I'd  buy 
her  everything  she  wanted  so  she  wouldn't 
have  to  steal." 

"  But  after  you  were  married  and  people 
found  out  what  she  was,  you'd  be 
ashamed  —  " 

"Ashamed!  I'd  put  my  little  thief  on  a 
throne,  and  whoever  dared  to  try  to  take  her 
off  would  get  it  in  the  neck." 

The  car  speeded  up  again.  The  man  at 
the  wheel  saw  the  utter  futility  of  further 
expostulation. 

"I'll  leave  it  to  time  and  cow-punching," 
he  thought  sagely.  "  Time  and  work  are  the 
best  healers,  especially  for  the  young.  Preach- 
ing is  of  no  avail." 

Night  came  on.  Jo  looked  up  at  a  little 
lone  star  which  was  trying  to  make  its  light 
shine  without  a  properly  darkened  back- 
ground. 

"  That's  a  poor  little  orphan  star  —  like 
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Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


her.  I'll  look  for  it  every  night  now.  I  wish 
I  hadn't  blabbed  to  Kurt.  He  hasn't  a  nose 
for  orange  blossoms." 

In  the  fortnight  that  followed,  Jo  worked 
indefatigably,  but  his  heart  and  his  thoughts 
were  back  in  Chicago,  except  when  now  and 
then  his  eyes  turned  to  a  fertile  little  beauty- 
spot  valleyed  between  the  hills.  For  here  he 
had  located  an  imaginary  cottage  —  his  cot- 
tage and  hers.  This  mirage,  of  course,  al- 
ways showed  a  little  slip  of  a  girl  standing  in 
the  doorway.  To  the  surprise  and  dismay  of 
his  associates  Jo  the  spender  became  Jo  the 
saver  that  his  dream  might  come  true. 

He  offered  no  addendum  to  the  revelation 
he  had  made  to  Kurt.  They  met  often,  but 
in  ranch  life  discourse  is  not  frequent,  and 
Jo  instinctively  felt  that  his  recital  of  Love's 
Young  Dream  had  fallen  upon  unsympathetic 
ears,  while  the  foreman,  unversed  in  the 
Language  of  Love,  was  mystified  by  the  lad's 
silence. 

Three  weeks  later  the  "  man  without  a  nose 
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Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


for  orange  blossoms "  was  again  in  town. 
As  acting  sheriff  of  the  county  lately,  Kurt 
had  dropped  in  to  see  the  jailer. 

"  How's  business,  Bender  ?  Any  new  board- 
ers ?  "  he  asked. 

"Yes;  a  gal  run  in  for  stealing.  Didn't 
find  the  goods  on  her ;  but  she's  a  sly  one  with 
the  record  of  being  a  lifelong  thief.  She 
strayed  up  here  from  Chicago." 

"  What's  her  name?  "  he  asked  casually. 

"  Marta  Sills." 

"  I  wonder  if  it  could  be  Jo's  Marta,"  the 
acting  sheriff  thought  suddenly.  "  She  may 
have  followed  him  up  here." 

He  walked  back  to  the  hotel,  trying  to 
decide  whether  he  should  tell  Jo.  If  she 
should  prove  to  be  his  girl,  her  arrest  up  here 
should  show  him  that  his  love  hadn't  worked 
the  miracle  he  expected.  Jo  had  been  a  little- 
more  quiet  since  his  return,  but  he  gave  no 
signs  of  pining  away,  and  maybe  if  nothing 
revived  his  interest,  it  might  die  a  natural 
death.  The  story  Jo  had  told  him  of  the  little 
i  30 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


waif  had  made  a  deep  impression  upon  him, 
however. 

"Poor  little  brat!"  he  thought.  "What 
chance  does  her  kind  have  ?  I  suppose  I  ought 
to  give  her  one.  There  is  one  person  in  the 
world  who  might  be  able  to  reform  her,  and 
I'd  put  her  in  that  person's  charge  if  it 
weren't  for  wrecking  Jo's  life." 

All  through  the  afternoon  while  transact- 
ing the  business  that  had  brought  him  to 
town,  his  heart  and  his  head  were  having  a 
wrestling  match,  the  former  being  at  the  dis- 
advantage of  being  underworked. 

"  I'll  go  up  and  take  a  look  at  her,"  he  sud- 
denly decided.  "  Maybe  I  can  tell  from  Jo's 
description  whether  she  is  his  Marta  or  not." 

On  his  way  to  the  jail  he  was  accosted  by 
a  big,  jovial  man. 

"  Don't  know  where  I  can  get  an  extra 
helper,  do  you,  Kurt?  Simpson,  my  right- 
hand,  has  gone  back  to  Canada  to  enlist." 

"  How  providential !  "  thought  Kurt. 

"Why,  yes;  Mr.  Westcott,"  he  replied: 
3i 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


"  We're  well  up  with  our  work,  and  I  could 
spare  Jo  Gary  for  a  few  weeks." 

"  Jo  Gary !  May  Heaven  bless  you !  When 
can  I  get  him  ?  " 

"  Going  out  home  now?  " 

"  Yes ;  on  my  way." 

"  Stop  at  the  ranch  and  take  him  along 
with  you.  Tell  him  I  said  to  go.  It'll  be  all 
right  with  Kingdon." 

Westcott  renewed  his  blessings  upon  Kurt 
and  drove  on. 

At  the  jail  Kurt  looked  in  on  the  latest 
arrival.  She  was  sitting  at  a  table  in  Ben- 
der's back  office,  her  head  bowed  in  her  hands. 
There  was  something  appealing  in  the  droop- 
ing of  her  shoulders  and  in  her  shabby  attire. 

"Now  Jo  is  disposed  of,  she  shall  have 
her  chance,  anyway,"  he  decided. 

Without  speaking  to  the  girl,  he  sought 
Bender  and  they  held  a  brief  consultation. 


32 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


CHAPTER  II 

"  Aren't  we  going  to  stop  at  all,  Mr.  Sheriff 
Man?" 

A  soft,  plaintive  note  in  the  voice  made 
Kurt  Walters  turn  the  brake  of  an  old,  rick- 
ety automobile  and  halt  in  the  dust-white  road, 
as  he  cast  a  sharply  scrutinizing  glance  upon 
the  atom  of  a  girl  who  sat  beside  him.  She 
was  a  dejected,  dusty,  little  figure,  drooping 
under  the  jolt  of  the  jerking  car  and  the 
bright  rays  of  hills-land  sunshine.  She  was 
young  —  in  years;  young,  too,  in  looks,  as 
Kurt  saw  when  she  raised  her  eyes  which 
were  soft  and  almond-shaped;  but  old,  he 
assumed,  in  much  that  she  should  not  have 
been. 

She  had  found  it  a  long,  hard  ride  across 
the  plains,  and  the  end  of  her  endurance  had 
been  prefaced  by  frequent  sighs,  changes  of 
position  and  softly  muffled  exclamations,  all 

33 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


seemingly  unnoted  by  the  man  beside  her, 
whose  deep-set  eyes  had  remained  fixed  on 
the  open  space  ahead,  his  slim,  brown  hands 
gripping  the  wheel,  his  lean,  sinewy  body 
bending  slightly  forward. 

His  tenseness  relaxed;  a  startled,  remorse- 
ful look  came  into  his  eyes  as  he  saw  two 
tears  coursing  down  her  cheeks.  They  were 
unmistakably  real  tears,  —  though,  as  he  was 
well  aware,  they  came  from  physical  causes 
alone.  Still,  they  penetrated  the  armor  of 
unconcern  with  which  he  had  girded  himself. 

"What  for?"  he  asked  curtly. 

"  What  for !  "  she  echoed,  her  mouth  quiv- 
ering into  pathetic  droops.  "  For  rest,  of 
course.  You  may  be  used  to  this  kind  of 
locomotion,  but  I'm  not  very  well  upholstered, 
and  I'm  shaken  to  bits.  Fact  is,  I'm  just  all 
pegged  out,  old  man.  Have  a  heart,  and 
stop  for  repairs.  What's  your  rush,  any- 
way? I  can't  get  loose  hereabouts,  and  I 
haven't  anywhfcre  to  go,  anyhow.  Didn't 
mind  getting  '  took '  at  all,  at  all.    How  many 

34 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


more  miles  is  it  to  the  end  of  your  trail?  This 
is  a  trail,  isn't  it?  " 

"  A  great  many  miles,"  he  replied,  "  and  it 
was  on  your  account  more  than  any  other 
that  I  was  hurrying  to  get  to  the  —  " 

"Jail,"  she  answered  supinely,  as  he  hesi- 
tated. 

"  No,"  he  said  grimly.  "  I  was  going  to 
take  you  home  —  for  to-night,  anyway." 

"  Home !  Oh,  how  you  startle  me !  I 
didn't  know  there  was  any  of  those  home- 
stuff  places  left  except  in  the  movies.  I  never 
was  much  stuck  on  home,  so  you  needn't  be 
afraid  to  call  it  •  jail '  for  fear  of  hurting  my 
feelings." 

"  You  can't  work  on  my  sympathy  that 
way,"  he  said  coldly. 

"  Dear  me ! "  she  replied  with  a  silly,  little 
giggle.  "  I  gave  up  trying  to  work  the  sym- 
pathy racket  long  ago.  Everyone's  too  smart 
nowadays.  Honest,  I've  no  longings  for 
home.  I  feel  sorry  for  anyone  who's  tied 
down  to  one.     Why  don't  you  kick  over  the 

35 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


traces  and  come  off  your  trail  and  see  what's 
on  the  other  side  of  your  hills?  I'd  hate  to 
take  root  here.  Say,  Mr.  Sheriff  Man,  you 
look  a  good  sort,  even  if  you  have  played  you 
were  deaf  and  dumb  for  the  whole  of  this 
awful  ride.  Let's  sidetrack  the  trail  and  go 
—  home  —  by  moonlight." 

His  eyes  remained  rigid  and  relentless,  but 
there  was  a  slight  twitching  of  his  strongest 
feature,  the  wide,  mobile  mouth. 

He  looked  at  his  watch. 

"  We  can  wait  for  a  few  minutes,"  he  said 
in  a  matter  of  fact  voice. 

"  Please,  may  I  get  out  and  stretch  ?  "  she 
asked  pleadingly. 

Taking  silence  for  consent,  she  climbed  out 
of  the  car. 

"  Do  you  want  a  drink?  "  he  asked,  as  he 
poured  some  water  from  an  improvised  Ther- 
mos bottle  into  a  traveling  cup. 

"Thanks  for  those  first  kind  words,"  she 
exclaimed,  taking  the  cup  from  him  and 
drinking  eagerly. 

36 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


"Why  didn't  you  say  you  were  thirsty?" 
he  asked  in  a  resentful  tone,  without  looking 
at  her.  He  had,  in  fact,  studiously  refrained 
from  looking  at  her  throughout  the  journey. 

"  I'm  not  used  to  asking  for  anything," 
she  answered  with  a  chuckle.  "  I  take  what 
comes  my  way.  '  Taking '  is  your  job,  too, 
isn't  it?" 

"To  hell  with  my  job!"  he  broke  out 
fiercely,  "  I'd  never  have  taken  it  if  I  knew 
it  meant  this." 

"  It's  your  own  fault,"  she  retorted.  "  It 
wouldn't  have  been  '  this '  if  you  hadn't  been 
so  grouchy.  We  could  have  had  a  chummy 
little  gabfest,  if  you  hadn't  been  bunging  holes 
in  the  landscape  with  your  lamps  all  the  way.  " 

He  made  no  response  but  began  to  examine 
the  workings  of  his  car. 

"Does  the  county  furnish  it  to  you?"  she 
asked.  "  It  doesn't  seem  as  if  you'd  pick  out 
anything  like  this.  Was  it  '  Made  in  Amer- 
ica?' Funny  outfit  for  a  cowboy  country, 
anyway." 

37 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


"  Get  in,"  he  commanded  curtly.  "  We 
must  be  away." 

"  Oh,  please,  not  yet,"  she  implored.  "  It's 
so  awful  hot,  and  I  won't  have  all  this  out- 
doors for  a  long  time,  I  suppose.  I  see  there's 
a  tidy  little  bit  of  shade  yonder.  Let's  go 
there  and  rest  awhile.  I'll  be  good;  honest, 
I  will,  and  when  I  get  rested,  you  can  hit  a 
faster  gait  to  even  up.  I  get  tired  just  the 
same  as  honest  folks  do.  Come,  now,  won't 
you?" 

In  a  flash  she  had  taken  advantage  of  this 
oasis  of  shade  that  beckoned  enticingly  to 
the  passer-by. 

He  followed  reluctantly. 

"  This  is  Heaven  let  loose,"  she  said,  lolling 
luxuriously  against  the  trunk  of  a  tree. 
"  You're  the  only  nice  sheriff  man  that  ever 
run  me  in." 

He  sat  down  near  her  and  looked  gloomily 
ahead. 

"  Cheer  up ! "  she  urged,  after  a  short 
silence.     "  It  may  not  be  so  bad.     Any  one 

38 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


would  think  you  were  the  prisoner  instead  of 
poor  little  me." 

"  I  wish  I  were,"  he  said  shortly. 

She  looked  at  him  curiously. 

"  Say,  what's  eating  you,  anyway?  If  you 
hate  your  job  so,  what  did  you  take  it  for?  " 

"  It  was  forced  on  me.  I'm  only  sworn  in 
as  acting  sheriff  for  the  county  until  the 
sheriff  returns." 

"  How  long  you  been  '  it '?  " 

"  Two  weeks.    You're  my  second  —  arrest." 

"Who  was  the  first?" 

"  So  Long  Sam." 

She  sat  upright. 

"  Are  you  the  man  who  caught  So  Long 
Sam?  Every  one  has  been  afraid  to  tackle 
him.    I'd  never  have  thought  it  of  you !  " 

"Why?"  he  asked  curiously,  not  proof 
against  the  masculine  enjoyment  of  hearing 
himself  analyzed  in  spite  of  his  reluctance 
to  talk  to  her.  "  Do  I  seem  such  a  weakling 
I  couldn't  take  one  man  ?  " 

"  No ;  you  look  like  you'd  take  a  red-hot 
39 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


stove  if  you  wanted  to ;  but  they  said  —  Say ; 
is  your  maiden  name  '  Kurt  ?  '  No !  It  can't 
be." 

"Why  not?" 

"  Because  they  called  the  man  who  took 
So  Long  Sam,  '  Kind  Kurt.'  You  haven't 
been  over-kind  to  me  till  just  lately.  Whirling 
me  over  sands  in  that  awful  fore-shortened 
car. 

"  It  must  be  better,"  he  said  dryly,  "  than 
the  kind  you've  been  used  to." 

"  You  mean  the  jail  jitney.  Do  you  know, 
they  never  yet  put  me  in  one.  Always  con- 
veyed me  other  ways.  Weren't  so  bad  to  me 
either.  I  guess  maybe  your  heart  is  in  the 
right  place  or  you  wouldn't  have  let  me  rest 
and  given  me  the  drink,  even  if  you  did  wait 
till  the  eleventh  hour.  Can't  you  look  pleasant 
like  you  were  going  to  sit  for  a  picture  to  give 
to  your  best  girl  instead  of  posing  for  'Just 
before  the  battle,  Mother '  ?  You  look  so 
sorry  you  came." 

"  I  am,"  he  said  angrily.  "  I  guess  '  Kind 
40 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


Kurt '  is  a  blankety  blank  fool,  as  some  people 
say.  I've  been  a  lot  kinder  to  you  than  you 
know.  When  I  heard  of  your  case  and  Ben- 
der pointed  you  out  to  me  and  said  he'd  got 
you  locked  up,  I  thought  you  were  one  of  the 
many  young  city  girls  who  go  wrong  because 
they  have  no  chance  to  know  better.  The 
kind  bred  in  slums,  ignorant,  ill-fed  —  the 
kind  who  never  had  a  fair  show.  So  I 
resolved  that  you  should  have  one.  Bender 
wanted  you  out  of  town  with  the  surety  that 
you  would  never  come  back. 

"  I  felt  sorry  for  you.  I  offered  to  take 
you  off  his  hands  and  bring  you  out  here 
among  the  hills,  where  the  best  woman  in  the 
world  would  teach  you  to  want  to  be  honest. 
Do  you  suppose  I'd  have  done  it  if  I'd  known 
the  kind  you  are  —  a  bright,  smart  brat  who 
is  bad  because  she  wants  to  be,  and  boasts 
of  it?    There  is  no  hope  for  your  kind." 

It  was  the  longest  speech  the  acting  sheriff 
had  ever  made.  He  had  been  scarcely  con- 
scious that  he  was  talking,  but  was  simply 

4i 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


voicing  what  had  been  in  his  thoughts  for  the 
last  half  hour. 

"  How  old  is  this  '  best  woman  in  the 
world '  ?  "  asked  the  girl,  seemingly  uncon- 
cerned in  his  summing  up  of  her  case.  "  Is 
she  your  sweetheart  or  your  wife?  If  she  is 
either  one,  you'd  better  take  me  back  to  Ben- 
der, or  spill  me  out  on  the  plains  here.  She 
won't  be  real  glad  to  try  to  reform  a  young, 
good-looking  girl  like  me.  I  am  good-looking, 
honest,  if  I  was  slicked  up  a  little.,, 

He  looked  away,  an  angry  frown  on  his 
lean,  strong  face.  She  gazed  at  him  curiously 
for  a  moment  and  then  laid  a  slim,  brown 
hand  on  his  arm. 

"  Listen  here,  Kurt,"  she  said.  "  You  were 
right  in  what  you  thought  about  me  never 
having  had  a  fair  show.  Everything,  every- 
one, including  myself,  seems  to  have  been 
against  me.  I  was  born  with  i  taking  ways/ 
I  couldn't  seem  to  live  them  down.  Lately 
things  have  been  going  wrong  awfully  fast. 
I've  been  sick  and  no  one  acted  as  if  I  were 

42 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


human  up  to  a  short  time  ago.  I  didn't  know 
that  was  why  you  took  me  from  Bender's 
jail.     Honest,  I'm  not  so  bad  as  I  talk." 

He  looked  at  her  sceptically.  Her  eyes,  now 
turned  from  him,  were  soft,  feminine  and 
without  guile.  He  wouldn't  let  himself  be 
hoodwinked. 

"  No ;  there's  no  excuse  for  you,"  he  de- 
clared ,  emphatically.  "  You  are  educated. 
You  could  have  earned  an  honest  living.  You 
didn't  have  to  steal." 

"  No ;"  she  said  slowly  and  thoughtfully. 
"  I  didn't  have  to." 

"Then  why  do  you?  Bender  told  me  you 
had  a  life-long  record  of  pilfering." 

"Life-long!  Kind  Kurt,  I  am  young  — 
only  twenty." 

"  He  said  you'd  been  given  a  chance  over 
and  over  again,  but  that  you  were  hopeless. 
I  —  think  you  are." 

"  I  think  so,  too,"  she  acknowledged,  with  a 
little  giggle  that  brought  back  his  scowl. 
"  You've  got  a  white  elephant  on  your  hands, 

43 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


Kurt.    What  are  you  going  to  do  with  me?" 

"  There's  only  one  thing  I  can  do,  now," 
he  said  glumly.  "  Carry  out  a  bad  bargain. 
I'll  see  it  through." 

"Oh,  Mr.  Britling!"  she  murmured  sotto 
voce. 

"What  did  you  say?" 

"  Nothing.  Traveling  libraries  evidently 
don't  hit  this  trail.  What  is  it  the  trail  to, 
anyway  ?    Your  house  ?  " 

"  To  Top  Hill  Tavern." 

"  Gee !  That  sounds  good.  A  tavern !  I 
hope  it's  tiptop  as  well  as  tophill.  How  did 
you  come  to  build  a  hotel  way  off  here  ?  Sum- 
mer boarders?    Will  there  be  dances?" 

"  Top  Hill  Tavern,"  he  said  coldly,  "  is  the 
name  of  a  ranch  —  not  mine.  The  owners 
live  there." 

"  And  does  she,  '  the  best  woman  in  the 
world,'  live  there?" 

"  We  must  start  now,"  he  said,  rising 
abruptly  and  leading  the  way  to  the  car. 

"  I  should  think,"  remarked  the  girl  cas- 
44 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


ually  after  his  fourth  ineffectual  effort  to 
start  the  engine,  "  that  if  she  owns  a  ranch, 
she  might  buy  a  better  buzz  wagon  than  this." 

He  made  no  reply,  but  renewed  his  futile 
attempts  at  starting,  muttering  words  softly 
the  while. 

"  Don't  be  sore,  Kurt.  I  can't  help  it  be- 
cause your  old  ark  won't  budge.  I  didn't 
steal  anything  off  it.  Wouldn't  it  be  fierce 
if  you  were  marooned  on  the  trail  with  a  thief 
who  has  a  life-long  record!" 

He  came  around  the  car  and  stood  beside 
her.  His  face  was  flushed.  His  eyes,  of  the 
deep-set  sombre  kind  that  grow  larger  and 
come  to  the  surface  only  when  strongly  moved, 
burned  with  the  light  of  anger. 

"  Did  anyone  ever  try  whipping  you,  I 
wonder  ?  " 

"  Sure,"  she  said  cheerfully.  "  I  was 
brought  up  on  whippings  by  a  —  stepmother. 
But  do  you  feel  that  way  toward  me?  You 
look  like  a  man  who  might  strike  a  woman 
under  certain  provocation,  perhaps;  but  not 

45 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


like  one  who  would  hit  a  little  girl  like  me. 
If  you  won't  look  so  cross,  I'll  tell  you  why 
your  'mobile  won't  move." 

He  made  no  reply,  but  turned  to  the  brake. 

"  Say,  'bo,"  she  continued  tantalizingly, 
"  whilst  you  are  a  lookin',  just  cast  your  lamps 
into  the  gasoline  tank.  That  man  who  filled  it 
didn't  put  a  widow's  mite  in." 

Unbelievingly  he  followed  this  lead. 

"Not  a  drop,  damn  it!" 

"The  last  straw  with  you,  isn't  it?  I'm 
not  to  blame,  though.  If  you  think  I  stole 
your  gasoline,  just  search  me.  How  far  are 
we  from  your  tiptop  tavern?  " 

"  Twenty  miles.  I  suppose  you  couldn't 
walk  it,"  he  said  doubtfully. 

"Me?  In  these?"  she  exclaimed,  thrust- 
ing forth  a  foot  illy  and  most  inadequately 
shod.     "  But  you  can  walk  on." 

"  No :  "  he  refused.  "  You  don't  put  one 
over  on  me  in  that  way." 

"  You  know  I  couldn't  walk  back  to  town." 

"  Some  one  might  come  along  in  a  car." 
46 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


"  Wouldn't  you  trust  me,  if  I  gave  you  my 
word  to  wait  for  you?" 

"The  word  of  —  " 

"  A  thief,"  she  finished.  "  All  right.  I'm 
in  no  hurry.    What  are  you  going  to  do?  " 

"  We'll  wait  here  until  some  one  comes 
along." 

"Then  let's  go  back  to  the  trees  while 
we  wait,"  she  proposed,  climbing  out  of  the 
car  and  taking  a  small  box  from  the  seat. 

"  Didn't  Bender  have  one  tiny  good  word 
for  me  ?  "  she  asked  as  they  sat  down  in  the 
welcome  shade. 

"  He  said  stealing  was  the  only  offence 
you'd  been  up  for,  and  he  guessed  you  couldn't 
help  it.  What  was  your  little  game  in  making 
him  think  you  were  stupid?  " 

"Did  he  say  I  was?  Horrid  thing!  I'm 
glad  I  put  one  over  on  him  and  lifted  this," 
and  she  held  up  the  box. 

"What  is  it?"  he  demanded  sternly. 

"His  supper.  A  peroxided  wife  brought 
it  to  him  —  just  before  he  presented  me  to 

47 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


you.  It'll  come  in  handy  now,  or  won't  you 
partake  of  stolen  goods  ?  " 

"  I'll  pay  him  for  it  the  next  time  I  see 
him." 

"  Shucks,  Kurt !  You  got  such  a  bad  bar- 
gain when  you  drew  me,  you  ought  to  have 
something  thrown  in.  It's  all  done  up  in  a 
nice  napkin  —  looks  as  if  it  would  taste  good. 
Oh,  what  a  feast!  Pork  sandwiches,  deviled 
eggs,  dills,  a  keep-hot  bottle  of  coffee,  layer 
cake  and  pie.  Bender  knew  how  to  pick  a 
partner.     What  shall  we  drink  out  of?" 

He  produced  a  drinking  cup,  poured  some 
coffee  in  it  and  handed  it  to  her. 

"  Thank  you,"  she  said.  "  Shall  we  make 
it  a  loving  cup,  Kurt?  " 

He  ignored  her  question  and  plunged  greed- 
ily into  a  pork  sandwich.  He  had  had  so 
much  business  in  town  that  day,  he  had  taken 
no  time  to  eat. 

The  girl  partook  of  Bender's  pilfered 
luncheon  sparingly  and  without  zest. 

"  Aren't  you  hungry  ?  "  he  asked  her  pres- 
48 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


ently,  his  temper  disappearing  as  his  appetite 
was  appeased. 

"  No ;  it's  a  long  time  since  I've  been 
hungry." 

"  What  did  you  steal  this  food  for  then?  " 

"  I  don't  know.  Yes,  I  do.  It  was  because 
that  Bender  woman  gave  me  such  a  once- 
over, and  decided  I  was  the  scum  of  the 
earth.  Is  that  the  way  your  topside  tavern 
woman  will  look  at  me?" 

"  No;  "  he  replied  earnestly.  "  She's  made 
a  woman  out  of  worse  than  you." 

"Thanks!"  she  said,  folding  the  napkin 
neatly.  "  I  thought  you  had  my  number  for 
the  worst  ever.  It's  wonderful  what  food 
will  do  for  a  man.  Hope  she  will  let  me 
stay  at  the  top  of  the  hill  while  I  get  an  appe- 
tite. The  doctor  said  I  didn't  need  medicine 
—  just  the  right  kind  of  food,  rest  and  good 
air.  I  wouldn't  have  got  them,  maybe,  but 
for  you,  and  I  suppose  I  haven't  been  very 
grateful." 

Her  tone  was  low  and  wistful.  A  look  she 
49 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


hadn't  seen  before  —  a  kindly,  sympathetic 
look  —  leapt  to  his  eyes  and  softened  the 
harshness  of  his  features. 

"  Have  you  been  sick,  real  sick?  "  he  asked. 

"  Yes ;  clean  played  out,  the  doctor  said." 

"  Then  I  am  glad  I  brought  you.  We  will 
make  you  well  physically,  anyway." 

"And  maybe  the  other  will  follow?" 

"  It  will,  if  you  will  try  to  do  right.  Will 
you?" 

"  Sure.  I've  always  tried  —  most  always. 
I  can't  be  very  bad  up  at  the  top  of  a  hill, 
unless  I  get  lonesome.  You'd  better  tell  that 
'  best  woman '  to  double-lock  things.  It's 
with  stealing  the  same  as  with  drinking  —  if 
anything  you  crave  is  lying  around  handy, 
good-bye  to  good  resolutions." 

"  I'll  see  to  that.    I'm  a  sheriff,  remember." 

"Look,  sheriff!" 

With  a  mocking  smile,  she  held  up  a  watch. 

"  I  took  that  off  you  slick  as  anything  when 
you  passed  the  coffee.  It  was  like  taking 
candy  from  a  baby." 

5o 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


Anger  at  her  nerve  and  chagrin  that  he 
had  been  so  neatly  tricked  kept  him  silent. 

"  It's  not  altogether  a  habit,"  she  continued 
in  mock  apology ;  "  it's  a  gift." 

"J°  &°t  ner  number  wrong,"  he  thought. 
"  She  was  just  playing  him  with  her  sad, 
nice,  little-girl  manner.  For  his  sake,  I'll  see 
that  they  don't  meet.  I  wonder  just  why  she 
is  playing  this  role  with  me?  " 

"  You  might  give  me  credit  for  returning 
your  ticker,"  she  said  in  abused  tone. 

"  I  never  knew  but  one  other  person,"  he 
said  coolly,  "  that  affected  me  as  unpleasantly 
as  you  do." 

"Who  was  that?"  she  asked  interestedly. 

"  A  cow-puncher  —  Centipede  Pete." 

"  Some  name !  Why  don't  you  ask  me  my 
name,  Kurt?  Don't  look  so  contemptuous. 
I  am  going  to  tell  you,  because  it  doesn't  sound 
like  me.     It's  Penelope." 

"Oh!"  he  exclaimed,  with  something  like 
a  groan  in  his  voice. 

"  Nobody  can  help  her  name,"  she  com- 
5i 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


plained.  "Don't  you  like  it?  I  kind  of 
thought  it  would  suit  you,  because  it  doesn't 
sound  like  me.  Sort  of  suggests  respectabil- 
ity, don't  you  think?  " 

"  It  was  my  mother's  name,"  he  replied 
tensely,  as  he  walked  a  few  paces  away. 

Night  that  comes  so  fleetly  in  this  country 
dropped  like  a  veil. 

The  girl  followed  him. 

"  I  didn't  steal  that  —  your  mother's  name, 
you  know,  Kurt,"  she  said  in  an  odd,  confid- 
ing voice.  "  They  gave  it  to  me,  you  see,  and 
maybe  it  will  help  that  I've  never  been  called 
by  it.  They  used  to  call  me  Pen  or  Penny 
—  a  bad  penny,  I  suppose  you  think." 

"  Your  name,"  he  said  frigidly,  "  or  at 
least  the  one  Bender  knows  you  by  —  the  one 
you  went  by  in  Chicago,  is  Marta  Sills." 

She  made  an  articulate  sound  suggestive 
of  dismay. 

"  That  is  one  of  my  names,"  she  admitted. 
"  I  had  forgotten  I  gave  that  one  to  Bender." 

He  made  no  comment. 

S2 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


"  You  said,"  she  continued  pleadingly, 
"  that  there  was  no  excuse  for  me  and  girls 
like  me.  Maybe  you  would  find  one  if  you 
knew  what  we  are  up  against.  Every  one 
knocks  instead  of  boosts,  and  tells  us  how 
low-down  we  are.  Just  as  if  a  mirror  were 
held  up  to  an  ugly-looking  girl,  and  she  were 
asked  how  anyone  who  looked  like  that  could 
expect  to  be  different.  Suppose  I  should  tell 
you  I'd  been  to  reformatories  and  places  where 
I  had  learned  that  I  must  play  the  stupid  act 
as  I  did  with  Bender  so  as  to  be  kept  from 
being  sent  up.  There  is  no  mercy  for  those 
who  exhibit  any  glimpses  of  intelligence,  you 
see.  This  time  I  thought  I  was  a  goner  for 
life  until  you  pried  me  loose.  All  doors  seemed 
closed,  but  you  opened  the  window.  No  one 
was  ever  really  kind  to  me  before,  except  a 
Salvation  Army  woman  and  —  some  one  else." 

"  What  was  the  name  of  that  some  one 
else?"  he  interrupted. 

She  hesitated,  and  for  the  first  time  seemed 
confused. 

53 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


"  Was  it,"  he  demanded,  "  Jo  Gary?  " 

"  Oh!  "  she  gasped.  Then  quickly  recover- 
ing, she  continued :  "  You're  quite  a  detec- 
tive for  an  acting  one.  If  you  were  the  real 
thing,  you'd  be  a  regular  Sherlock  Holmes 
and  make  a  clean  sweep  of  crooks." 

"  Answer  my  question." 

"  It  doesn't  seem  necessary  to  tell  you  any- 
thing; you  know  so  much.  I  seem  to  know 
that  name.  Was  he  at  a  dance  in  Chicago  — 
let  me  see,  Hurricane  Hall  ? "  she  asked 
serenely.  "  Is  this  his  part  of  the  country,  and 
shall  I  see  him?  " 

"  It  was  his  part  of  the  country.  You  can 
not  see  him." 

A  wistful  note  crept  into  her  voice  as  she 
said: 

"  I  should  like  to  see  him  just  once,  but  I 
suppose  you  won't  tell  me  where  he  is.  I 
don't  dare  let  on  to  you  how  grateful  I  really 
feel  to  you,  because  I  might  lose  my  nerve 
and  I've  just  got  to  hang  on  to  that.  It's  my 
only  asset  in  trade.     We  have  to  use  lots  of 

54 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


bluff.  Besides,  someway  you  make  me  feel 
contrary.  Maybe  I  am  the  lightning  and  you 
the  thunder." 

"Why  did  you  leave  Chicago ?"  he  asked 
abruptly.  "  Bender  said  that  was  where  you 
drifted  from.  I  want  the  real  reason  —  the 
absolute  truth." 

It  was  very  dark  now,  but  she  could  feel  his 
eyes,  as  piercing  as  search  lights,  demanding 
the  truth. 

"  The  gate  was  open  and  I  just  walked  out, 
or  maybe  I  stole  out.  I  didn't  follow  Jo, 
because  he  didn't  say  where  he  lived  —  just 
the  hill  country.  I'll  tell  you  the  real  reason 
—  thieves  don't  always  lie  —  I  had  been  sick 
and  the  doctor  said  air  like  this  for  mine,  and 
so  I  followed  this  trail.  I  picked  it  up  here 
and  I'd  have  been  all  right  if  I  hadn't  run 
up  against  that  lightning-chaser  of  a  Bender. 
I  guess  folks  are  keener  out  this  way  than 
they  are  in  the  cities.  More  time  to  hunt 
crooks,  maybe." 

"No;"  he  denied.  "It  isn't  that.  It's 
55 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


because  we  have  a  beautiful,  clean  country 
and  we  are  going  to  —  " 

"Have  no  blots  on  the  landscape,"  she 
interrupted.  "  I  suppose  Bender  catches  them 
and  you  reform  them.  Is  that  the  system? 
Well,  no  one  can  be  good  till  they  are  com- 
fortable. I'm  not  very  strong  yet,  and  I'm 
not  used  to  being  out  untethered  like  this.  I'm 
cold  and  sleepy.  If  you  don't  object,  I'll  crawl 
into  your  old  wagon  if  I  can  find  it  in  the 
dark." 

She  caught  a  note  of  contrition  in  a  muffled 
exclamation. 

"Wait!" 

She  heard  him  walk  on  to  the  car  and  come 
back.  Then  she  felt  a  coat  wrapped  snugly 
about  her. 

He  guided  her  to  the  clumps  of  trees  and 
spread  a  robe  on  the  ground. 

"  Sit  down  here,"  he  said  peremptorily. 

She  gave  a  little  smile  of  victory  which,  if 
he  had  seen  it,  would  have  strangled  all  his 
new-born  compassion. 

56 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


"  Why  didn't  you  tell  me  your  story  in  the 
first  place?"  he  demanded. 

"  When  you  are  out  in  the  world  alone,  you 
know,"  she  said  sagely,  "  and  everyone  is 
taking  a  shot  at  you,  you  have  to  put  out  a 
bluff  of  bravado,  same  as  a  porcupine  shoots 
out  his  quills." 

He  gave  another  murmur  of  sympathy. 

"  Don't  feel  too  bad  about  it,  Kind  Kurt, 
because  being  knocked  about  sharpens  your 
wits  and  makes  you  an  expert  dodger  when 
you  aren't  equal  to  fighting  in  the  open." 

Suddenly  into  the  black-purple  sky  shot 
forth  a  moon  and  stars. 

"  Makes  the  white  lights  of  a  city  look  like 
thirty  cents,  eh,  Kurt?"  she  commented. 

He  made  no  response,  and  she  was  serenely 
aware  of  his  silent  disapproval. 

"What's  matter,  Kurt?" 

"  My  name,"  he  replied  frigidly,  "  is 
Walters." 

"  Is  it,  then?  And  what  might  your  middle 
name  be?" 

57 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


"  You  can  call  me  '  Mr.  Walters/ "  he 
replied,  striving  for  dignity  and  realizing 
instantly  how  lame  was  the  attempt. 

"Oh,  can  I  now?  Well,  I'll  do  nothing 
of  the  kind  to  the  first  real  friend  I've  ever 
had.  As  I  said,  I  am  all  in,  and  I'm  going  to 
snooze  while  you  watch  for  a  gasoliner  to 
come  along." 

She  stretched  herself  out  and  closed  her 
eyes.  In  a  semi-slumber  she  was  dreamily 
conscious  of  a  firm  roll  slipped  deftly  under 
her  head.  She  made  a  faint  murmur  of  con- 
tent and  acknowledgment  and  knew  no  more. 
Her  sleeping  sense  didn't  tell  her  that  a  tall 
sheriff  came  and  looked  down  upon  her  small, 
pale,  moonlit  face  from  which  sleep,  the  great 
eliminator,  had  robbed  of  everything  earthy 
and  left  it  the  face  of  an  innocent,  sleeping 
child.  She  didn't  dream  that  as  he  gazed  he 
remitted  sentence  and  told  himself  that  she 
was  but  a  stray  little  kitten  lost  in  the  wide 
plains  of  life,  and  solely  in  need  of  patient 
guidance  to  a  home  hearth. 

58 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


"  She  was  right/'  he  confessed.  "  I  did 
make  her  feel  contrary.  It  seems  to  be  a 
characteristic  of  mine.  Maybe  her  true  little 
self  is  the  one  Jo  saw  and  she  can  be  made 
worthy  of  him  yet." 


59 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


CHAPTER  III 

When  the  first  faint  edges  of  light  outlined 
the  coming  day,  she  sat  bolt  upright  and 
stared  about  her.  As  far  as  eye  could  see  was 
the  tortuous  trail  leading  up  sculptured  hills 
that  were  the  preface  to  the  mother  mountains 
of  the  West. 

The  wonder-stare  in  her  eyes  gradually 
disappeared  as  memory  awakened.  Down 
beyond  the  trees  in  a  little  valley  the  sheriff 
was  attending  to  a  fire  he  had  built. 

She  arose,  cramped  and  unrefreshed,  and 
hastened  toward  the  welcome  blaze. 

"Good  morning.     Any  gasoline  yet?" 

"  No ;  not  an  automobile  passed  during  the 
night.,, 

"How  do  you  know?     Didn't  you  sleep?" 

"  No." 

"  Guarding  your  car  and  me  ?  No !  "  she 
added  quickly.     "  That  wasn't  the  reason.     I 

60 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


had  all  the  robes  and  your  coat.  You  had  to 
stay  awake  to  keep  warm." 

He  smiled  slightly  and  spoke  in  the  hushed 
voice  that  seems  in  keeping  with  the  dawn. 

"  I've  been  used  to  night  watches  —  tending 
sheep  and  cattle  on  the  plains.  What's  the 
difference  whether  it's  night  or  day  so  long 
as  you  sleep  somewhere  in  the  twenty-four 
hour  zone?  " 

"  I  never  was  up  ahead  of  the  sun  before," 
she  said  with  a  little  shiver,  as  she  came  close 
to  the  fire. 

"  I  am  heating  over  the  coffee  that  was 
left.    That  will  make  you  feel  better.,, 

"  I  suppose  there  isn't  any  water  hereabouts 
to  wash  in.  You  know  they  teach  us  to  be 
sanitary  in  the  reformatories." 

He  pointed  to  a  jar. 

"  I  always  carry  some  in  the  car.  Help 
yourself." 

"  Arctic  ablutions  never  appeal  to  me,"  she 
said  when  she  had  used  the  cold  water  freely 
and  returned  to  the  fire.     "  I  found  another 

61 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


left-over  in  the  shape  of  a  sandwich  minus 
the  pork,  so  we  can  each  have  a  slice  of  toast 
with  our  coffee." 

She  put  a  piece  of  bread  on  a  forked  stick 
and  held  it  out  to  the  blaze.  He  did  the  same 
with  the  other  half  of  the  sandwich.  Then 
they  partook  of  a  meagre  but  welcome  break- 
fast. 

"  Look ! "  he  said  presently  in  an  awed 
voice. 

The  sun  was  sending  a  glorious  search- 
light of  gold  over  the  highest  hill-line. 

"Swell,  isn't  it?"  she  commented  cheerily. 

Her  choice  of  adjectives  repelled  any  fur- 
ther comments  on  Nature  by  him. 

"  I'm  not  used  to  sleeping  out,"  she  said, 
as  he  carefully  raked  over  the  remains  of  the 
fire,  "  and  it  didn't  seem  to  rest  me.  Thank 
you  for  making  me  so  comfortable,  Mr.  Wal- 
ters." 

She  spoke  gently;  altogether  her  manner 
was  so  much  more  subdued  this  morning  that 
he  felt  the  same  wave  of  pity  he  had  felt 

62 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


when  Bender  had  first  mentioned  her  case  to 
him. 

"  I  am  sorry,"  he  said,  "  that  you  had  to 
stay  out  here  all  night.  It  was  my  fault;  but 
you  will  have  a  more  comfortable  resting 
place  to-night.' ' 

A  sound  was  heard:  a  modern,  welcome 
sound,  breaking  in  distractingly  on  the  pri- 
meval silence.  Kurt  hastened  to  the  road  and 
saw  the  encouraging  prelude  of  dust.  The 
passing  tourist  gave  him  the  requisite  supply 
of  gasoline  and  continued  on  his  way. 

"  Come  on,  Pen !  "  called  the  sheriff. 

She  suppressed  a  smile  as  she  followed. 

"  You  called  me  by  my  first  name,"  she 
couldn't  resist  reminding  him. 

"  I  didn't  know  your  last  one,"  he  responded 
quickly  and  resentfully  as  he  helped  her  into 
the  car. 

"  Let  me  think.  I've  had  so  many  aliases 
—  suppose  I  make  out  a  list  and  let  you  take 
your  choice.  Most  of  my  pals  call  me  '  The 
Thief.' " 

63 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


The  look  of  yesterday  came  back  to  his  eyes 
at  her  flippant  tone  and  words. 

"  Don't !  "  he  said  harshly.  "  This  morning 
I  had  forgotten  what  you  were." 

"  I  wish  I  could,"  she  said  forlornly.  "  We 
won't  talk  about  it  any  more.  Play  I  am 
pink  perfect  until  we  get  to  this  '  first  lady 
of  the  land '  up  at  Top  Hill.  Oh,  but  motor- 
ing in  the  dawn  is  shivery!  I  loathe  early 
morning  when  you  get  up  to  it.  If  you 
stay  up  for  it,  it's  different." 

He  looked  down  at  her  quickly. 

In  the  crisp  morning  air,  her  little  figure 
was  shaking  as  if  with  a  chill.  Her  face 
was  very  white,  and  there  was  a  bluish  look 
about  her  mouth. 

He  stopped  the  car  suddenly. 

She  smiled  faintly  at  his  look  of  concern. 

"I'm  all  right,"  she  said  reassuringly,  a 
spark  of  raillery  again  showing  in  her  eyes 
before  they  closed,  and  she  fell  limply  against 
him. 

When  she  had  recovered  the  consciousness 
64 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


she  had  lost  but  momentarily,  he  was  vigor- 
ously rubbing  her  hands. 

"  How  warm  and  strong  your  hands  feel," 
she  said  with  a  little  sigh  of  content.  "I  never 
did  anything  so  out  of  date  before.  I  couldn't 
help  it" 

"  You  are  nearly  frozen,"  he  said  brusquely. 
"Why  don't  you  wear  more  clothes ?" 

"  I  am  wearing  all  I  have,"  she  said  plain- 
tively, with  an  attempt  at  a  giggle. 

A  sudden  recollection  came  to  him.  From 
under  the  seat  he  brought  forth  a  heavy,  gray 
sweater. 

"  I  forgot  I  had  this  with  me.     Put  it  on." 

"  It's  a  slip-on.  I'll  have  to  take  off  my 
hat  and  coat  to  get  into  it." 

When  she  removed  her  soft,  shabby,  bat- 
tered hat  which  she  had  worn  well  down  over 
her  eyes  even  while  she  slept,  her  hair,  rip- 
pling bronze  and  golden  lights,  fell  about  her 
face  and  shoulders  in  semi-curls. 

He  helped  her  into  the  sweater. 

"  It's  sure  snug  and  warm,"  she  said  ap- 
65 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


provingly,  as  her  head  came  out  of  the  open- 
ing.    "  I  won't  need  my  coat." 

"  No ;  there's  no  warmth  in  it,"  he  said, 
looking  disdainfully  at  the  thin,  cheap  gar- 
ment.    "  Throw  it  away." 

"  With  pleasure,"  she  replied  gaily. 
"  Here's  to  my  winter  garment  of  repent- 
ance." 

She  flung  the  coat  out  on  the  road. 

"  What  did  you  say?  "  he  asked  perplexedly. 

"  Nothing  original.  Just  some  words  I 
st-t  —  I  mean,  borrowed." 

She  fastened  back  her  hair  and  picked  up 
her  hat. 

"  Don't  put  that  on !  "  he  exclaimed,  mak- 
ing another  search  under  the  seat  and  bring- 
ing forth  a  soft  cap.  She  set  it  jauntily  on 
her  curls. 

"  How  do  you  feel  now  ?  Well  enough  to 
ride  on?  " 

"  Yes ;  I  am  feeling  •  fair  and  warmer' 
every  minute." 

When  the  car  started,  she  relapsed  into 
66 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


silence.  The  sunshine  was  flooding  the  tree- 
less hills  and  mellowing  the  cool,  clean  air. 
Up  and  down,  as  far  as  the  eye  could  follow, 
which  was  very  far  in  this  land  of  great  dis- 
tances, the  trail  sought  the  big  dominant  hills 
that  broke  the  sky-line  before  them.  The  out- 
look was  restful,  hopeful,  fortifying. 

"How  are  you  —  all  right?"  he  asked 
presently. 

"  Perfectly  all  right.  It's  grand  up  here 
in  all  these  high  spots." 

"  Wait  until  we  reach  the  hills  around 
our  ranch,"  he  boasted.  Then  he  laughed 
shortly.  "I  say  'our/  I'm  only  the  fore- 
man." 

"  What  are  you  going  to  tell  her  about 
me?"  she  asked  curiously,  after  another 
silence. 

He  slackened  the  pace  and  looked  at  her 
closely.  The  sweater  and  the  sunshine  had 
brought  a  faint  tinge  of  wild-rose  color  to  the 
transparency  of  her  skin.  The  flippancy  and 
boldness  so  prominent  in  her  eyes  the  day 

67 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


before  had  disappeared.  She  looked  more  as 
she  had  when  she  was  asleep  in  the  moon- 
light. A  wave  of  kindness  and  brotherliness 
swept  over  him. 

"  I  am  going  to  tell  her,"  he  said  gently, 
"  that  you  are  a  poor  little  girl  who  needs  a 
friend." 

"  Is  that  all  you  will  tell  her?  " 

"  You  may  tell  her  as  much  or  as  little 
of  your  story  as  you  think  you  should." 

"  You  are  a  good  man,  but,"  she  added 
thoughtfully,  "  the  best  of  men  don't  under- 
stand women's  ways  toward  each  other.  If 
I  tell  her  my  sordid  little  story,  she  may  not 
want  to  help  me  —  at  least,  not  want  to  keep 
me  up  here  in  her  home.  I've  not  found 
women  very  helpful." 

"  She  will  help  you  and  keep  you,  because 
— "  he  hesitated,  and  then  continued  ear- 
nestly, "  before  she  was  married,  she  was  a 
settlement  worker  in  a  large  city  and  she 
understood  such  —  " 

"  As  I,"  she  finished.  "  I  know  the  set- 
68 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


tlement  workers.  They  write  you  up  —  or 
down  —  in  a  sort  of  a  Rogue  Record,  and 
you  are  classified,  indexed,  filed  and  treated 
by  a  system." 

"  She  isn't  that  kind !  "  he  protested  indig- 
nantly. "  She  does  her  work  by  her  heart, 
not  by  system.  Have  you  ever  really  tried 
to  reform  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  she  exclaimed  eagerly.  "*  I  left 
Chicago  for  that  purpose.  I  couldn't  find 
work.  I  was  cold  and  hungry ;  pawned  every- 
thing they  would  take  and  got  shabby  like 
this,"  looking  down  disdainfully  at  herself, 
"  but  I  didn't  steal,  not  even  food.  I  would 
have  starved  first.  Then  I  was  arrested  up 
here  for  stealing.  I  wasn't  guilty.  Bender 
had  no  case,  really;  but  he  wouldn't  give  me 
a  square  deal  or  listen  to  anything  in  my  favor, 
because  my  record  was  against  me.  You  can't 
live  down  a  record.    There  is  no  use  trying." 

"  Yes,  there  is !  "  he  declared  emphatically. 
"  I  have  always  thought  a  thief  incurable,  but 
I  believe  she  could  perform  the  miracle." 

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Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


"How  old  is  she?"  demanded  Pen  sud- 
denly. 

"  I  don't  know,"  he  answered  vaguely,  as 
if  her  age  had  never  occurred  to  him  before. 
"  She  has  been  married  ten  years." 

"  Oh!    Did  she  marry  the  right  man?  " 

"  She  certainly  did.     Kingdon  is  a  prince." 

"Any  children?" 

"Three;  two  little  fellows  as  fine  as  are 
made,  and  a  girl." 

"  I  adore  children." 

"  I  am  glad  to  hear  you  say  that.  Every 
good  woman  loves  children." 

"  And  you  really  think  there's  the  makings 
of  a  good  woman  in  me  ?  " 

"Yes;  I  think  so,"  he  answered  earnestly, 
"and  if  there's  but  a  spark  of  goodness  in 
you,  she  will  find  it  and  fan  it  to  a  glow." 

She  made  a  wry  little  grimace  which  for- 
tunately he  did  not  see. 

"  This  goodness  is  nauseating  me,"  she 
thought.  "  I  shall  beat  it  back  about  to- 
morrow." 


70 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


"Look!"  he  cried,  as  the  road  made  a 
sharp  curve.     "  There  it  is!  " 

"  You  can  lift  your  eyes  to  the  hills !  What 
a  love  of  a  place  —  way  up  on  tiptoes.  I'll 
be  the  little  fish  out  of  water  up  there ! ■■ 

Top  Hill  Tavern  was  on  a  small  plateau 
at  the  summit  of  one  of  the  hills.  The  ranch- 
house,  long,  low  and  fanciful  in  design,  con- 
nected by  a  covered  portico  with  the  kitchen, 
dairies  and  buildings,  was  misleading  in  name, 
for  a  succession  of  higher  hills  was  in  sight. 
A  vined  pergola,  flower  gardens,  swings,  ten- 
nis courts  and  croquet  grounds  gave  the  place 
a  most  unranch-like  appearance. 

As  they  rode  up  to  the  entrance  porch,  a 
woman  came  out  of  the  house,  and  instantly 
the  big,  appraising  eyes  of  the  little  new- 
comer felt  that  here  was  a  type  unknown  to 
her.  She  was  slender,  not  very  tall,  but  with 
a  poise  and  dignity  of  manner  that  com- 
pelled attention.  Her  eyes  were  gray;  her 
lashes,  brows  and  hair  quite  dark.  There 
was  a  serenity  and  repose  of  manner  about 

7i 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


her  —  the  Madonna  expression  of  gentleness 
—  but  with  an  added  force. 

"  We  looked  for  you  last  night,  Kurt,"  she 
said  in  a  voice,  low  and  winning. 

"  Ran  out  of  gasoline  and  had  to  spend  the 
night  on  the  road,"  he  explained.  "  Mrs. 
Kingdon,  this  is  a  little  girl  —  " 

She  didn't  give  him  the  opportunity  to 
finish. 

"  Come  in  out  of  the  sun,"  she  urged. 

Pen  stepped  from  the  car.  There  was  no 
consciousness  in  the  beautiful  eyes  of  the 
"  best  woman  in  the  world "  that  she  was 
aware  of  the  shabby,  tan  shoes,  the  cheap, 
faded  and  worn  skirt,  or  the  man's  sweater 
and  cap. 

Pen's  eyes  had  grown  dark  and  thoughtful. 

"  Before  I  go  in,"  she  said  turning  to  Kurt, 
"you  must  tell  her  who  I  am.  Not  what 
you  said  you  were  going  to  tell  her,  but  where 
you  found  me  and  from  what  you  saved  me." 

His  face  flushed. 

"  My  dear  little  girl,"  said  the  woman 
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Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


quickly,  "  I  don't  care  to  know  —  yet.  It  is 
enough  that  Kurt  brought  you." 

"  Mrs.  Kingdom,"  said  Kurt  awkwardly 
but  earnestly,  "  she  is  a  poor  girl  who  needs 
a  friend." 

"We  all  need  a  friend  some  time  or  other. 
Come  in  with  me." 

She  led  her  up  the  steps.  On  the  top  one, 
the  girl  halted. 

"  He  found  me,"  she  told  Mrs.  Kingdon, 
"  in  the  custody  of  —  Bender,  for  stealing, 
and  he  took  me  away  to  save  me  from  jail, 
to  bring  me  up  here  to  the  '  best  woman  in 
the  world/  he  said,  and  I  made  light  of  what 
he  had  done  all  the  way  up  the  trail.  And 
he  was  so  kind  to  me  —  me,  a  pickpocket.  I 
think  I  should  go  back  —  to  Bender." 

She  spoke  with  the  impetuousity  of  a  child, 
and  turned  to  go  down  the  steps. 

Kurt  looked  on  helplessly,  perplexed  by  this 
last  mood  of  his  prismatic  young  prisoner. 

Mrs.  Kingdon  took  the  girl's  arm  again. 

"  You  are  going  to  have  a  bed  and  bath 
73 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


before  you  leave,  anyway.  Come  with  me. 
Kurt,  you  look  as  if  you  had  best  go  to  cover, 
too." 

Pen's  outbreak  had  evidently  spent  her  last 
drop  of  reserve  force.  She  submitted  meekly 
to  guidance  through  a  long  room  with  low- 
set  windows.  She  noted  a  tiled  floor  with  soft 
rugs,  a  fireplace  and  a  certain  pervading 
home-sense  before  they  turned  into  a  little 
hallway.     Again  she  faintly  protested. 

"  I  am  worse  than  a  thief,"  she  said.  "  I 
am  a  liar.    I  haven't  told  him  —  all." 

"  Never  mind  that  now,"  said  Mrs.  King- 
don  soothingly.  "  You've  been  ill  recently, 
haven't  you  ?  " 

H  Yes ;  I  was  just  about  at  the  end  of  —  " 

"  You're  at  the  end  of  the  trail  now  —  the 
trail  to  Top  Hill.  You  shall  have  a  bath,  a 
long  sleep  and  something  to  eat  before  you 
try  to  tell  me  anything  more." 

Pen  went  on  into  a  sunward  room  gener- 
ously supplied  with  casement  windows.  A 
few  rugs,  a  small  but  billowy  bed,  a  chair  and 

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Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


a  table  comprised  the  furnishings,  but  an  open 
door  disclosed  a  bathroom  and  beyond  that 
a  dressing  room  most  adequately  equipped. 

"This  is  clover,,,  she  thought  presently, 
when  she  slipped  into  a  warm  bath. 

"  And  this  is  some  more  clover/'  she  mur- 
mured later,  as,  robed  in  a  little  nainsook 
gown,  she  stretched  out  luxuriously  between 
lavender  scented  sheets.  "  I  don't  care  what 
may  come  later.  I  know  that  I  am  going  to 
have  a  real  sleep." 

It  was  five  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  when 
she  awoke.  On  the  chair  by  her  bed  was  a 
change  of  clothing,  a  pair  of  white  tennis 
shoes,  a  dark  blue  skirt,  a  white  middy  and 
a  red  tie. 

"  Oh !  "  she  thought.  "  The  kind  of  clothes 
I  love." 

She  hastened  to  dress  partially,  then  slipped 
on  a  little  negligee  and  began  to  do  her  hair. 

"  I  wish  it  would  sometimes  go  twice  in  the 
same  place,"  she  thought  ruefully.  "  I  never 
can  fix  it  as  I  like.     It's  the  only  thing  that 

75 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


ever  got  the  better  of  me  except  Kind  Kurt. 
Well ! "  with  an  impatient  shake  of  her  rebel- 
lious locks,  "go  crop-cut,  if  you  insist.  I 
can't  help  it." 

Mrs.  Kingdon  smiled  when  the  little  girlish 
figure  opened  the  door  in  response  to  her 
knock. 

"  I  felt  sure  that  that  outfit,  which  was 
left  here  by  my  fifteen-year-old  niece  when 
she  last  visited  us,  would  fit  you,  though  Kurt 
insists  that  you  are  twenty.  You  had  a  nice 
sleep,  didn't  you?" 

"  I  think  I  never  really  slept  before.  Such 
a  bed,  and  such  heavenly  quiet!  So  different 
from  street-car  racket." 

"  My  husband  and  the  boys  have  been  away 
all  day,  or  there  wouldn't  have  been  such 
quiet.  Dinner  is  ready.  Kurt  didn't  tell  me 
your  name." 

"  Penelope  Lamont.  My  first  name  is 
always  shortened  to  Pen  or  Penny." 

Down  stairs  in  the  long,  low-ceilinged 
library  she  was  introduced  to  Mr.  Kingdon, 

76 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


a  man  of  winning  personality,  a  philosopher 
and  a  humorist.  Ranged  beside  him  were 
three  appalling  critics:  two  boys  of  nine  and 
seven  years  respectively,  and  a  little  girl  of 
five.  They  stared  at  her  solemnly  and  sur- 
veyingly  while  she  was  presented  to  their 
father. 

"Can  you  skin  a  weasel?"  asked  Francis, 
the  oldest  lad,  when  Pen  turned  to  him. 

"  Mother  said  you  were  a  young  lady," 
said  Billy.  "You're  just  a  little  girl  like 
Doris  was." 

"  And  you've  got  on  her  clothes,"  declared 
Betty  sagely. 

"  Now  you  surely  should  feel  at  home," 
declared  Mrs.  Kingdon. 

"  Margaret,"  commented  her  husband 
whimsically,  "our  children  seem  to  be  quite 
insistent  on  recognition  and  rather  inclined 
to  be  personal  in  their  remarks,  don't  you 
think?" 

"  We  so  seldom  have  visitors  up  here,  you 
know,"  defended  the  mother,  smiling  at  Pen 

77 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


the   while.      "  We   will   go    into   the   dining 
room  now." 

Throughout  the  meal  Pen  was  subtly  con- 
scious of  an  undercurrent  of  a  most  willing 
welcome  to  the  hospitality  of  the  ranch.  Her 
surmise  that  the  vacant  place  at  the  table  was 
reserved  for  the  foreman  was  verified  by 
Betty  who  asked  with  a  pout: 

"  Why  don't  we  wait  for  Uncle  Kurt?  " 

"  He  dined  an  hour  ago  and  rode  away," 
explained  Mrs.  Kingdon.  "  He  will  be  back 
before  your  bedtime." 

Every  lull  in  the  conversation  was  eagerly 
and  instantly  utilized  by  one  or  more  of  the 
children,  who  found  Pen  most  satisfactorily 
responsive  to  their  advances. 

"You've  had  your  innings,  Francis,"  the 
father  finally  declared.  "  That  will  be  the 
last  from  you." 

"  There's  one  thing  more  I  want  to  know," 
he  pleaded.  "  Miss  Lamont,  do  colored  peo- 
ple ever  have  —  what  was  it  you  said  you 
were  afraid  Miss  Lamont  had,  mother?  " 

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Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


"  Oh,  Francis!  "  exclaimed  his  mother.  "  I 
said/'  looking  at  Pen,  "that  I  feared  you 
were  anemic,  and  then  I  had  to  describe  the 
word  minutely."  v 

"Are  they  ever  that,  Miss  Lamont?"  in- 
sisted the  boy. 

"  I  never  thought  of  it  before/'  answered 
Pen  after  a  moment's  reflection,  "  but  I  don't 
see  why  they  couldn't  be  so,  same  as  white 
people." 

"  Then  how  could  they  tell  they  had  it. 
They  wouldn't  look  white,  would  they  ?  " 

"  Suppose,"  interceded  Kingdon,  H  we  try 
to  find  a  less  colorful  topic.  I  move  we 
adjourn  to  the  library  for  coffee." 

"  We  stay  up  an  hour  after  dinner,"  said 
Billy,  when  they  were  gathered  about  the 
welcome  open  fire,  "  but  when  we  have  com- 
pany, it's  an  hour  and  a  half." 

"  I  should  think  that  rule  would  be  re- 
versed,"  replied  Kingdon  humorously. 

"Then,  aren't  you  glad  I'm  here?"  Pen 
asked  Billy. 

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Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


"  Sure!  "  came  in  hearty  assurance.  "  You 
can  stay  up  a  long  time,  can't  you,  because 
you  slept  all  day?" 

"  Play  with  us,"  besought  Betty. 

"Yes;  play  rough,"  demanded  Billy. 

Mrs.  Kingdon  interposed.  "  She's  too  tired 
to  do  that,"  she  admonished  the  children. 

Betty  came  forward  with  a  box  of  paper 
and  a  pair  of  scissors. 

"  You  can  cut  me  some  paper  dolls.  That 
won't  tire  you." 

"  I  don't  want  dolls !  "  scoffed  Francis. 

Pen  was  already  using  the  articles  Betty 
had  furnished. 

"  Not  if  we  call  them  circus  ladies  and  1 
cut  horses  for  them  to  ride  on?"  she  asked 
him. 

"Can  you  do  that?"  he  inquired  unbeliev- 
ingly. 

"  Certainly.  Dashing  horses  that  will  stand 
up,"  she  boasted,  and  in  another  moment  a 
perfectly  correct  horse  was  laid  before  the 
delighted  boys. 

80 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


A  few  more  rapid  snips  and  a  short-skirted 
lady  was  handed  to  Betty. 

"  Now,  make  a  clown,  a  lion,  a  tiger,  an 
elephant,"  came  in  quick,  short  orders  which 
were  readily  filled. 

"  My  dear  young  lady,"  exclaimed  King- 
don.  "  You  are  really  talented.  It  is  so  sel- 
dom an  artist  can  do  anything  but  draw." 

"  I  can't  draw.  I  am  just  a  cutter,"  she 
corrected.  "  I  can't  do  anything  with  a 
pencil." 

They  were  all  so  absorbed  in  the  paper 
products  that  Kurt's  entrance  passed  unnoted. 

"  Betty,"  he  said  imploringly,  after  wait- 
ing a  moment  without  recognition,  "you 
can't  guess  what's  in  my  pocket?  " 

Pen  looked  up  unbelievingly.  The  caress- 
ing, winning  note  had  utterly  disguised  his 
voice.  As  he  handed  the  delighted  Betty  a 
satisfactorily  shaped  parcel,  his  glance  rested 
upon  his  prisoner,  bringing  a  quick  gleam  of 
surprise  to  his  eyes. 

"  I  am  taking  out  my  first  papers,  you  see," 
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Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


she    announced,    pointing    to    the    miniature 
menagerie. 

"Where  did  you  learn  to  do  that?"   he 
asked. 

"  A  man  showed  me,"  she  said  noncommit- 
tally. 

"What    else    can    you    cut?"    demanded 
Francis. 

I  can  cut  an  airship." 


"  Cut  me  one." 


"  To-morrow,"  said  Mrs.  Kingdon.  "  The 
time  limit  is  up." 

"  Did  you  ever  go  up  in  an  airship  ?  "  asked 
Billy  eagerly. 

"  No ;  but  I  know  a  man  who  flies,"  she 
boasted. 

"  Come  upstairs  and  tell  us  about  him," 
demanded  Billy. 

As  his  mother  cordially  seconded  the  invi- 
tation, Pen  accompanied  them  to  the  nursery. 
When  the  last  "  good  nights  "  had  been  said 
to  the  children,  Mrs.  Kingdon  led  the  way 
to  her  room. 

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Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


"  The  moon  shouldn't  seem  so  far  away," 
declared  Pen,  looking  out  of  the  broad  win- 
dow.   "  We  are  up  so  high." 

"  I  haven't  yet  ceased  to  wonder  at  these 
hills,"  rejoined  Mrs.  Kingdon.  "  We  bought 
this  ranch  merely  for  a  vacation  place,  but 
three-fourths  of  our  time  is  spent  up  here, 
as  we  have  become  so  attached  to  it.  Mr. 
Kingdon  is  an  artist,  so  he  never  tires  of 
watching  the  hills  and  the  sky.  Sometimes 
we  feel  selfish  with  so  much  happiness  —  when 
there  isn't  enough  to  go  around." 

"I  know  you  take  but  a  small  percentage 
of  what  you  give.  Shall  I  tell  my  story 
now?  " 

"  I  think  I  know  it  —  or  some  of  it,  at 
least,"  replied  Mrs.  Kingdon,  looking  at  her 
intently. 

Pen  looked  up  with  a  startled  gesture. 

"You  do!    How  —  " 

"When  I  was  in  your  room  just  before 
dinner,  it  came  to  me  where  I  had  seen  you 
before.     It  was  about  a  year  ago  —  in  San 

83 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


Francisco  —  in  a  police  station.  I  made  in- 
quiries ;  was  interested  in  you  and  tried  to  see 
you,  but  we  were  suddenly  called  home.  I 
should  like  to  hear  more  about  your  life  and 
what  brought  you  to  these  hills." 

"  I  wish  no  one  else  need  know  it,"  she 
said  entreatingly,  when  she  had  told  her  story 
in  detail. 

"  Kurt  is  surely  entitled  to  know  it  all" 
replied  Mrs.  Kingdon. 

"  I  suppose  he  is ;  though  I  wish  he  didn't 
know  as  much  as  he  already  does.  It  isn't 
necessary  to  tell  him  to-night,  is  it?  I  am 
still  tired  in  spite  of  my  long  rest." 

"To-morrow  will  do.  If  you  like,  I  will 
tell  him,  and  I  wish  you  and  he  would  leave 
the  entire  matter  —  about  Jo  and  all  —  in  my 
hands." 

"  Most  gladly,"  assented  Pen.  "  But  where 
is  Jo?" 

"  He  is  on  a  neighboring  ranch  —  tempo- 
rarily, only." 

"There  is  something  else  I  should  like  to 
84 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


know.  Why  is  Kurt  so  different  from  most 
men?  Doesn't  he  ever  look  pleasant,  or  was 
his  gloom  all  on  my  account  ?  " 

"  His  life  hasn't  been  exactly  conducive 
to  jollity.  He  was  born  in  New  England  and 
brought  up  on  pie  and  Presbyterianism  by  a 
spinstered  aunt  who  didn't  understand  boys. 
He  ran  away  and  came  to  the  West.  He  has 
been  cattle-herder,  cowboy  and  everything 
else  typical  of  the  hill  country.  We  came  here, 
tenderfooted,  and  were  most  fortunate  in 
finding  a  foreman  like  Kurt  Walters.  He 
has  a  wonderful  way  of  handling  men.  He 
is  of  good  habits,  forceful,  keen;  very  gentle 
to  old  people  and  most  adorable  with  children. 
We  make  him  one  of  our  household.  There 
is  the  fortunate  flaw  that  keeps  him  from 
being  super-excellent;  he  is  not  merciful  to 
wrongdoers  and,  as  you  say,  he  is  too  serious 
—  almost  moody.  That  is  accounted  for  by 
the  long  night  vigils  of  the  cattlemen.  They 
get  a  habit  of  inhibition  that  they  never  lose. 
I  think  the  men  find  him  very  good  company 

85 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


at  times.  There  is  one  splendid  thing  about 
him.  In  spite  of  his  rough  life  and  the  many 
years  in  which  he  has  had  opportunity  to 
meet  only  the  —  misguided  kind  of  women, 
he  has  never  lost  faith  in  his  ideals  of  woman- 
hood." 

"  I  certainly  rubbed  him  the  wrong  way," 
said  Pen  comprehendingly.  "  He  looked  upon 
me  as  if  there  were  no  place  on  his  map  for 
my  kind,  and  yet  he  struggled  hard  to  be 
good  to  me  when  I  was  suffering  from  cold 
and  hunger.  I  never  met  his  sort  of  a  man 
before.  The  men  I  have  been  thrown  with 
think  goodness  stupid.  No  matter  what  crime 
a  girl  commits,  providing  she  is  attractive  in 
any  way,  they  applaud  and  call  her  a  '  little 
devil.'  " 

"  He  talked  of  you  a  great  deal  to-day, 
and  about  your  chances  for  reformation." 

Pen  smiled  enigmatically. 

"  He  said  he  would  have  felt  more  sympathy 
for  me  if  I  had  not  been  educated  and  knew 
the  enormity  of  my  sins.     If  he  knew  more 

86 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


of  the  world,  he  would  know  that  the  intelli- 
gent criminal  has  the  least  chance  to  reform. 
When  he  took  me  so  unexpectedly  from  Ben- 
der, I  wanted  to  see  what  he  was  going  to  do 
with  me.  When  I  found  he  was  bringing  me 
out  here,  I  could  have  easily  given  him  the 
slip  and  escaped,  but  I  was  curious  to  see  the 
'  best  woman  in  the  world.'  I  never  had  faith 
in  a  man's  estimate  of  a  woman,  but  as  soon 
as  I  saw  you,  I  knew  he  was  right.  May  I 
stay?     Will  you  really  let  me?" 

"  I  quite  insist  upon  your  staying.  We 
will  go  downstairs  for  a  little  while  now." 

Below,  Mrs.  Kingdon  lingered  to  give  some 
directions  to  a  servant  and  Pen  went  on  to 
the  library. 

Kurt  was  standing  there  alone.  She  stood 
small  and  straight  before  her  warden,  looking 
squarely  into  his  eyes. 

"You  needn't,"  she  said,  "put  any  locks 
on  valuables  here  —  not  on  my  account.  The 
crookedest  crook  in  the  world  wouldn't  steal 
from  her." 

87 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


"  I  am  glad  you  recognize  a  true  woman/' 
he  said  earnestly. 

"  Thank  you  for  bringing  me  here.  I  feel 
it's  the  turning  point  in  my  life." 

"  Then,"  he  said  earnestly,  "  I  feel  I  have 
done  something  worth  while.  You  shall  not 
leave  here  until  —  you  see  I  am  speaking 
plainly  —  you  have  overcome  all  desire  to 
steal." 

"  Not  a  severe  penalty,  O  Sheriff  Man ! " 
she  thought  as  she  replied  meekly :  "  To- 
night I  feel  as  if  I  could  never  do  anything 
wrong;  but  you  know  the  strongest  of  us 
have  our  lapses." 

"  I  know  that  too  well,"  he  said  gravely, 
"but  — you'll  try?" 

"  I'll  try.     Good-night,  Mr.  Walters." 

In  the  doorway  she  paused  and  looked 
back.  He  was  gazing  meditatively  into  the 
flames  of  the  open  fire.  She  shook  a  little 
defiant  fist  at  him  and  made  a  childish  grim- 
ace, both  of  which  actions  were  witnessed  by 
Kingdon  as  he  entered  the  room. 

88 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


"  Do  you  know,"  he  confided  later  to  his 
wife,  with  a  chuckle  of  reminiscence,  "  as  fine 
a  fellow  as  Kurt  is,  I  sometimes  feel  like 
shaking  a  fist  at  him  myself." 


89 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


CHAPTER  IV 

As  on  the  day  previous,  Pen  awoke  at  an 
early  hour.  She  lay  quiet  for  a  moment, 
sensing  to  the  full  the  deliciousness  of  being 
cosily  submerged  in  soft,  warm  coverings 
that  protected  her  from  the  crisp,  keen  hill- 
winds  that  were  sweeping  into  her  room. 

"  The  air  smells  as  if  it  came  right  off  the 
snow,"  she  thought,  as  she  drew  on  some 
fur-bound  slippers  and  wrapped  herself  in  a 
Navajo  blanket  that  was  on  the  footrail  of 
her  bed.  Then  she  crossed  the  room,  climbed 
up  on  the  big  seat  under  the  casement  window 
and  looked  out. 

It  was  not  the  thrilling  beauty  of  the  covey 
of  pink-lined  dawn-clouds  that  made  her  eyes 
grow  round,  big  and  bright;  that  brought  a 
faint  flush  to  her  cheeks;  a  quick  intake  of 
breath.  It  was  something  much  more  mun- 
dane  that   held   her    attention  —  the    superb 

90 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


spectacle  of  Kurt  Walters,  mounted.  The 
lean,  brown  horseman  sat  on  his  saddle  as 
easily  as  though  it  were  a  cushion  in  a  rock- 
ing chair.  He  was  talking  to  three  or  four 
cattlemen  and  apparently  paying  no  attention 
to  his  cavorting  steed  except  that  occasion- 
ally and  casually  his  firm  hands  brought  the 
plunging  animal  to  earth. 

"  He's  to  the  saddle  born,"  thought  the  girl 
admiringly.  "  He  ought  to  stay  on  a  horse. 
If  I'd  seen  him  yesterday  on  horseback,  he 
wouldn't  have  had  to  take  me.  I'd  have  flown 
to  him." 

He  gave  a  last  command  to  one  of  the 
men,  as  he  turned  to  ride  away. 

"All  right,  boss,"  was  the  reply,  as  the 
men  dispersed  to  their  various  stations  of 
duty. 

Suddenly  and  psychologically  the  eyes  of 
the  rider  were  lifted  to  the  casement  window. 
Pen  waved  her  hand  airily  toward  him,  the 
movement  loosening  the  gayly  striped  blanket 
which  fell  from  her  shoulders.     The  Indian- 

9i 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


brown  of  his  face  reddened  darkly;  a  gleam 
came  into  his  steel-gray  eyes.  He  made  a 
military  motion  toward  his  hat  brim  with  his 
whip  and  then  rode  swiftly  away,  without 
the  backward  and  upward  look  which  she  was 
expecting. 

"  The  boss  is  a  bashful  boss,"  she  thought, 
with  a  lazy  little  pout,  as  she  shook  off  the 
blanket,  flung  her  slippers  free  and  went  back 
to  bed. 

"  He's  good  to  look  at,  but  oh,  you  com- 
fortable cot!" 

When  next  she  awoke,  it  was  near  the 
breakfast  hour. 

"  I'm  glad  I'm  not  the  last  one  down,"  she 
said,  as  she  came  into  the  dining-room  and 
noticed  Kurt's  vacant  chair. 

"  Oh,  but  you  are !  "  Betty  hastened  to  say. 
"  Uncle  Kurt's  gone  away  for  a  whole  week, 
hasn't  he,  father?" 

"When  did  he  go,  Louis?"  asked  Mrs. 
Kingdon  in  surprise. 

"  A  message  came  for  him  late  last  night," 
92 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


explained  her  husband.  "  The  sheriff  has 
unexpectedly  returned,  and  Kurt  has  to  be 
in  town  for  a  week  to  settle  up  all  the  red 
tape  routine  for  his  release;  and  besides,  the 
trial  of  So  Long  Sam  has  been  called,  and 
he'll  have  to  attend/' 

Pen  had  a  sense  as  of  something  lifted. 

"  A  reprieve  for  a  week,  and  I  can  have  a 
beautiful  time  with  nobody  nigh  to  hinder," 
she  thought.  "  I  had  a  narrow  escape  from 
a  real  sheriff.  Luck  is  with  me,  and  no 
mistake !  " 

"  You  will  feel  lost  without  Kurt  at  the 
helm,  won't  you,  Louis?"  asked  Mrs.  King- 
don.    "  And  Jo  away,  too." 

"  Westcott  returned  Jo  this  morning. 
Simpson  has  delayed  his  trip  to  Canada  for 
a  few  days." 

"  That  is  good  news.  Of  course  Jo  hasn't 
Kurt's  efficiency,  but  he  gets  on  well  with 
the  men." 

"They  say,"  remarked  Francis  sagely, 
"  that  Jo  is  always  '  right  there.'  " 

93 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


"So  is  Uncle  Kurt!"  exclaimed  Betty  in- 
dignantly. 

"  You  don't  get  me,  Betty,"  said  her  brother 
loftily,  "  but  it's  no  use  explaining  to  a  girl." 

Pen  had  been  a  most  attentive  and  eager 
listener  to  this  conversation. 

"  I  am  sorry  I  didn't  know  Kurt  was  going 
to  town,"  said  Mrs.  Kingdon  to  Pen,  "  for 
we  could  have  sent  him  for  some  things  for 
you." 

"What  kind  of  things?"  asked  Betty  cu- 
riously. 

"  I  came  without  my  luggage,"  explained 
Pen  glibly,  "but  I  can  trim  out  clothes  as 
easily  as  I  can  animals,  and  if  you  have  any 
stray  pieces  of  cloth  I  can  very  quickly  dupli- 
cate what  I  am  now  wearing." 

"We  have  quantities  of  material,"  said 
Mrs.  Kingdon.  "  I  seem  to  have  a  mania  for 
buying  it,  and  there  my  interest  in  new  gar- 
ments ceases.  Agatha  is  a  fine  seamstress, 
so  we'll  have  you  outfitted  in  no  time." 
"  Wouldn't  you  like  to  motor  over  the  place, 
94 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


Miss  Pen?"  invited  Kingdon  as  they  rose 
from  the  table.  Smiling  understandingly  at 
her  look  of  alarm,  he  added:  "  I  don't  mean 
in  the  car  Kurt  brought  you  up  in  yester- 
day." 

"  Uncle  Kurt  made  it  all  himself  —  out  of 
parts  he  bought,"  boasted  Francis. 

"  Dear  me !  "  said  Pen  ruefully.  "  I  wish 
he  hadn't  bought  so  many  parts,  or  else  left 
some  of  them  out." 

"  It's  a  fine  car !  "  declared  Francis  in  tone 
of  rebuke. 

"I  like  it  better  than  ours,"  said  Billy. 
"  We  helped  make  it." 

"I  throw  up  my  hands,"  said  Kingdon. 
"  Only  the  loyalty  of  a  child  would  have  the 
courage  to  defend  such  a  car." 

In  a  long,  luxurious  limousine  the  entire 
family  made  the  rounds  of  the  ranch  to  show 
Pen  the  squadrons  of  cattle  browsing  by  the 
creek,  thoroughbred  horses  inclosed  in  a  pas- 
ture of  many  miles,  the  smaller-spaced  farm- 
yard, the  buildings,  bunk-houses  and  "Kurt's 
'     95 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


Kabin,"  as  a  facetious  cowboy  had  labeled 
the  office  where  the  foreman  made  out  the 
pay  rolls  and  transacted  the  business  affairs 
of  the  ranch. 

"  I  think  you  have  seen  it  all,  now,"  said 
Kingdon,  as  he  turned  the  car  into  the  drive- 
way that  led  homeward. 

"Oh,  no!"  cried  Billy.  "She  hasn't  seen 
Jo  yet.    There  he  is  at  the  mess  house." 

"  Of  course,  you  must  see  Jo,  Miss  Pen," 
said  Kingdon.  "  I'll  drop  you  and  the  kiddies 
here  and  you  can  call  on  him.  I  have  an  idea 
he  will  be  more  Jo-like  if  my  wife  and  I  are 
not  present." 

The  car  stopped  near  a  long  low  building, 
and  Pen  with  the  children  got  out  of  the  car. 

"  Jo-o-o !  "  chorused  the  trio. 

From  the  house  came  Jo,  whom  the  men 
had  nicknamed  the  "human  spider,"  for  his 
arms  and  legs  were  the  thinnest  of  his  species. 
He  was  saved  from  being  grotesque,  how- 
ever, by  a  certain  care-free  grace,  a  litheness 
of  movement.    He  had  greenish-blue  eyes  that 

96 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


were  set  far  apart  and  crinkled  when  they 
laughed  —  as  ever  and  oft  they  did.  His 
features  were  irregular,  his  hair  unruly,  but 
there  was  a  lovable  appeal  in  the  roguish  eyes 
and  the  charm  of  humor  in  a  mouth  that  lifted 
upward  at  the  corners. 

"  Halloa,  kindergarten ! "  he  called  in  a 
jovial  tenor.     "  Who's  your  little  old  sister  ?  " 

"  She  isn't  our  sister/'  denied  Francis  with 
dignified  mien.     "  She's  a  young  lady." 

"  Honest?  "  he  asked  in  amused  tone,  look- 
ing down  at  the  girl  whose  eyes  were  hidden 
by  long-lashed,  down-turned  lids.  "  How 
young  now?  " 

Then  his  dancing  eyes  grew  suddenly  quiet 
and  amazed,  as  her  lashes  lifted.  He  read 
a  warning  in  her  glance. 

"  Jo,"  she  said  gravely  and  meaningly,  "  I 
am  Penelope  Lamont,  and  I  am  a  young  lady 
—  out  of  my  teens." 

"  'Scuse,"  he  answered  seriously,  "  but  you 
don't  dress  it." 

"  She's  got  on  Doris's  clothes,"  explained 
97 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


Betty,  "  'cause  she  didn't  bring  any  of  her 
own,  and  she's  our  Aunty  Penny." 

"  No,"  he  said  solemnly.  "  No,  she  ain't ! 
You've  got  it  wrong  side  to.  Her  name  is 
Penny  Ante." 

"  It  isn't  either !  "  cried  Betty  angrily,  with 
a  stamp  of  her  little  foot. 

"Uncle  Kurt  brought  her  here.  She's  his 
company,  so  you'd  better  look  out,  Jo  Gary ! " 
warned  Billy. 

Jo  made  a  mock  gesture  of  alarm  and 
shielded  his  face  with  his  arm  as  if  from  an 
imaginary  blow. 

"  Now,  why  didn't  you  say  so  in  the  first 
place!  My,  ain't  it  the  luck  for  me  that  he 
won't  be  sheriff  when  he  comes  back!  He 
might  have  had  me  put  in  the  lock-up." 

"  I  am  not  Mr.  Walters'  company  —  not 
now,"  explained  Pen.  "  I  came  up  here  with 
him,  to  be  sure,  but  Mrs.  Kingdon  has  asked 
me  to  be  her  company  until  I  am  well.  I  have 
been  ill." 

"  Double  'scuse.  And  this  is  the  best  place 
98 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


in  the  world  to  get  well.      Some  little   old 
ranch,  and  Kurt  Walters  is  some  foreman.,, 

"  Aren't  you  foreman  now  ?  " 

"  When  Kurt  is  here,  I'm  nothing  but  a 
cow-hand;  when  he  is  away,  I'm  only  acting 
foreman.  I'll  never  be  anything  but  just  act- 
ing-something, I  guess." 

"  Kurt  Walters  was  only  acting  sheriff." 

"  That's  so.  We  seem  to  be  mostly  act- 
ingers  or  actorines,"  he  allowed.  "  Say !  " 
turning  ferociously  to  Francis,  "  what  busi- 
ness has  a  boy  looking  like  an  owl?  Loosen 
up,  and  have  some  pep !  " 

The  boy's  fair  face  flushed. 

"  It's  none  of  your  business  how  I  look,  Jo 
Gary!" 

"  Wow !  Now  you're  talking.  We  can't 
fight  before  a  lady,  though." 

"  Cook  says  you  look  like  a  wishbone,  Jo," 
taunted  Billy,  coming  to  his  brother's  defense. 

"She  did,  did  she?  Well,  the  cook  can 
hang  me  over  her  door,  and  then  —  I'll  kiss 
her." 

99 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


"  I'll  tell  her,  and  she  won't  dance  with  you 
to-night." 

"  If  you  do,"  threatened  Jo,  "  I  won't  tell 
you  where  there  are  four  little,  new  kittens 
what  haven't  got  their  peepers  opened  yet." 

"Oh,  where,  Jo?  We'll  not  tell  her. 
Please,  Jo!"  pleaded  Betty. 

"  I  choose  to  name  them,"  said  Francis. 
"  Tell,  Jo." 

"  I'll  not  tell,  unless  you  get  your  little  new 
playmate  here  to  promise  me  a  dance  to- 
night." 

"  Are  you  really  going  to  have  a  dance  to- 
night?" asked  the  girl  eagerly. 

"  Sure  thing  we  are.  Right  here  in  this 
mess  hall,  and  —  "  looking  at  her  fixedly,  he 
added  slowly,   "you  can  dance,  too,  —  with 


me." 


"  Oh !  "  she  cried,  her  eyes  shining.  "  It 
will  seem  so  beautiful  —  to  dance  again. 
What  do  they  dance  up  here  —  fox  trot  ?  " 

"We  dance  any  old  thing  the  music  tells 


us  to." 


ioo 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Tiraih 


"Same  as  they  do  in  — -  Chicago  ?  "  she 
asked  demurely. 

"  Now  tell  us  where  the  kittens  are," 
demanded  Betty. 

"  Follow  me,  little  Black  and  Tan." 

In  her  excitement  Betty  forgot  to  resent 
Jo's  pet  appellation  for  her. 

He  led  the  way  to  a  corner  of  the  tool- 
house. 

Reposing  in  a  nest  made  of  pieces  of  carpet 
lined  with  soft  flannel,  were  four  puffballs  of 
maltese  which  were  quickly  gathered  and  gar- 
nered .by  Pen  and  the  children,  while  the 
mother-cat  looked  on  with  proud  but  appre- 
hensive eyes. 

"  Who  fixed  them  such  a  nice  bed?  "  asked 
Francis. 

"Your  Uncle  Kurt.  But  they  tell  me  he 
rode  away  at  first  crack  of  daybreak,  so  he 
didn't  see  them." 

"  And  they'll  have  their  eyes  open  before 
he  gets  back,  maybe ! "  lamented  Francis. 

"  Perhaps,"  put  in  Jo,  "  he'll  get  his  eyes 
101 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


opened  wide  while  he's  gone.  Then  he  and 
the  kits  can  meet  on  equal  terms." 

"  He'll  miss  the  dance,  too,"  said  Betty  sor- 
rowfully. 

"  Whom  do  you  men  dance  with  ?  "  asked 
Pen. 

"  Well,  there's  Betty  here  stays  up  for  three 
dances  anyway,  and  there's  Mrs.  Kingdon, 
and  Ag,  and  the  cook,  and  the  other  girl  — 
and  everything  else  failing,  we  make  Gene 
Dossey  play  gal." 

"  What  music  do  you  have?  " 

"  We've  got  two  of  the  finest  fiddlers  that 
ever  drew  a  bow.  Sleepy  Sandy  and  Jakey 
Fourr.  Say,  Billy  Kingdon,  if  you  squeeze 
that  kitten  so  hard,  its  eyes  '11  bust  open  before 
the  nine-day  limit.  Put  them  all  down  now, 
or  their  ma  '11  have  a  kitnip  fit." 

"  I  choose  to  name  them,"  said  Francis. 
"  Uncle  Sam  is  this  biggest  one ;  the  one  with 
white  on  is  General  Joffre,  and  the  little  one  is 
King  George  and  —  " 

"  Hold  on  there!  "  cried  Jo.  "  Uncle  Sam 
1 02 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


and  General  J.  goes  all  right,  all  right;  but 
there  ain't  room  for  another  gent's  name. 
You'll  have  to  change  King  George  to  Georg- 
ette." 

"  I  won't  have  her  named  Georgette !  "  said 
Betty.  "  Her  name  is  Fairy  Queen,  and  that 
other  one  is  —  " 

"  It's  my  turn !  "  said  Billy.  "  Mine  's  going 
to  be  named  Mewtral." 

"  You  mean  Neutral,"  corrected  Francis 
scathingly. 

"No;  he's  said  it,"  declared  Jo.  "She's 
mewtralled  all  the  morning.  She  don't  seem 
to  like  her  boarding  house.  Now,  all  you 
kidlets  run  to  the  kitchen  and  ask  cook  for  a 
cup  of  milk  and  a  clean  rag.  I'll  force-feed 
Mewtral,  'cause  she's  a  little  suffragette. 
Don't  hurry  back  too  fast." 

The  children  went  with  alacrity  and  re- 
turned in  the  same  way;  but  Pen  and  Jo  im- 
proved the  opportunity  for  conversation  with- 
out the  three  interested  listeners. 

"Here,  Jo,"  said  Billy,  handing  over  the 
103 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


milk  when  they  had  returned.  "  Let's  see 
you  feed  Mewtral.     She  must  be  hungry." 

"  If  she  were  me,"  said  Jo,  whose  eyes  were 
shining,  "  she'd  be  too  happy  to  eat." 

He  fed  the  kitten  and  then  tried  in  vain 
to  obtain  further  converse  with  Pen  alone, 
but  the  children  out-maneuvered  all  his  efforts 
and  finally  Pen  took  them  back  to  the  house. 

"  When?  "  half  whispered  Jo,  as  they  were 
leaving. 

"  When  Mrs.  Kingdon  says,"  she  mur- 
mured in  reply. 

She  turned  back  for  another  glance.  He 
was  standing,  cap  in  hand,  with  the  air  of  a 
conqueror.  f 

"What's  the  verdict  on  Jo?"  asked  King- 
don. 

"Jo's  inimitable/'  she  replied  lightly. 

"  Wait  until  you  dance  with  him,"  he  said. 
"Jo  dances  his  way  into  every  girl's  heart." 

"  I  can  believe  that." 

"  He's  one  of  those  sunny-hearted  fellows 
that  people  take  to  be  shallow,  but  under  the 

104 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


surface  brightness  there's  a  tolerably  deep 
current.  And  he  never  nurses  a  grudge.  If 
anyone  should  stick  a  knife  in  Jo,  he'd  only 
make  a  question  mark  of  his  eyebrow  and 
give  a  wondering  smile.,, 

"  What  I  can't  understand,"  said  Pen,  "  is 
why  the  children  don't  like  him." 

"  He  plagues  us  all  the  time,"  complained 
Betty. 

"  It's  very  odd,  though,"  commented  King- 
don,  meditatively,  and  with  a  twinkle  in  his 
eye,  "how  you  do  like  to  be  plagued.  You 
are  always  tagging  at  his  heels.  I  think  you 
must  be  coquetting  with  Jo." 

"  He's  so  different  with  them  from  Kurt," 
said  Mrs.  Kingdon.  "  Kurt  is  so  patient  and 
so  sweet  with  children.  He  understands 
them." 

"  Kurt,"  said  Pen,  "  seems  to  be  like  some 
things  that  are  too  good  for  everyday  use. 
He  should  be  laid  away  on  a  shelf  for  Sun- 
days." Then,  meeting  Mrs.  Kingdon's  won- 
dering eyes,   she  added  with  a  little  flush: 

105 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


"  That  isn't  true  —  and  it's  unkind !  I  don't 
really  mean  it." 

"  We  are  all  ready  for  our  sewing  bee," 
observed  Mrs.  Kingdon,  smiling.  "  What 
shall  we  begin  on  ?  " 

"  I'm  wondering,"  said  Pen  meditatively, 
"  if  I  hadn't  better  rig  up  something  evening- 
like for  the  dance  to-night.  If  you  could  let 
me  borrow  a  white  muslin  curtain,  I  could 
easily  rig  it  up  into  an  impromptu  dance 
frock." 

"Jo  said  he  knew  a  man  who  turned  an 
automobile  into  a  lamp  post,"  said  Betty. 

"Oh,  Betty!"  laughed  Pen,  "maybe  there 
is  hope  for  a  sinner  to  be  turned  into  a  saint." 

"We  won't  have  to  resort  to  curtains," 
said  Mrs.  Kingdon.  "  I  have  a  white  satin 
skirt  that  is  too  short  for  me,  and  you  can 
fashion  a  waist  from  a  piece  of  white  mus- 
lin." 

"And  Doris  left  her  white  slippers  that 
were  too  short  for  her,"  reminded  Betty. 

"To  think,"  meditated  Pen  presently  as 
106 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


she  deftly  cut  out  a  waist,  "  that  the  thief 
should  be  making  evening  clothes,  when  it 
was  only  but  yesterday  she  was  booked  for 
bars  instead  of  balls.,, 


107 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


CHAPTER  V 

The  two  fiddlers  were  tuning  their  instru- 
ments when  the  party  from  the  house  entered 
the  rosy-lighted  mess-hall.  Jo  started  for- 
ward with  an  air  of  assurance  to  claim  Pen. 
When  he  beheld  her,  he  stopped  abruptly, 
lost  in  admiration  of  the  daintily  clad  young 
person  whose  Castle-cut  locks  had  been  lured 
to  a  coiffure  from  which  little  tendrils  escaped 
in  babyish  rings. 

Jakey  Fourr,  second  violin,  glimpsed  her 
at  the  same  time  and  noticed  Jo's  hesitating 
halt. 

"  Ladies'  Choice !  "  he  shouted  with  a  grin. 

Jo  looked  at  her  expectantly  but  vainly ;  for 
she  gladdened  the  pride  of  Francis  by  choos- 
ing him  as  her  partner.  Betty  and  Billy  mu- 
tually chose  each  other.  Mrs.  Kingdon  select- 
ed a  newcomer.  Agatha  and  the  "  other  girl  " 
asked  their  particular  friends,  and  the  cook 

108 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


spitefully  "  sat  it  out."  Pen  had  to  follow 
the  prim  little  steps  learned  by  Francis  at  a 
city  dancing  school  the  winter  before,  and 
Sleepy  Sandy  thoughtfully  timed  his  tune 
thereto  and  shortened  the  number.  Then  Jo 
started  for  the  belle  of  the  ball,  but  a  youth 
in  combination  attire  of  hunter,  cowboy  and 
soldier  was  ahead  of  him. 

"  Would  you  honor  me,  ma'am?  M  he  asked. 

She  would  and  did,  but  she  never  learned 
the  name  of  the  wonderful  dance  with  which 
she  "honored"  him.  It  had  been  a  case  of 
"  whither  thou  goest,  I  will  go." 

Again  Sleepy  Sandy  was  considerate  and 
cut  this  number  short  also. 

Then  Betty  came  running  breathlessly  up 
to  Pen. 

"  Jo  says  if  you  don't  dance  with  him  this 
next  time  like  you  promised,  he  '11  drown  the 
kittens.     Please,  Aunt  Pen !  " 

Jo  was  promptly  on  hand  this  time. 

"  This  is  mine,"  he  asserted,  "  unless  you're 
danced  out  by  that  gink." 

109 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


"  My  dancing  blood  isn't  up  yet,"  she  said, 
slipping  into  his  arms.  She  didn't  care  to 
know  the  name  of  the  dance.  All  she  knew 
was  the  ecstasy  of  the  moment  in  the  flowing, 
melting  rhythm.  Jo  had  the  easy  assurance 
of  the  dancer  born,  and  she  went  where  he 
willed,  as  if  she  were  floating  on  silver  wires. 
Finally,  Sleepy  Sandy,  watching  them  in 
envious  admiration,  was  aware  that  he  had 
played  as  long  as  the  law  of  limit  allowed. 

"  Isn't  this  better  than  Reilly's?  "  she  asked 
demurely. 

"There  will  never  in  the  world  be  to  me 
a  night  like  the  one  at  Reilly's,"  he  replied. 

"Jo,  why  don't  you  go  into  vaudeville? 
Your  dancing  would  bring  you  twice  what 
your  work  here  must." 

"  Mine  is  a  man's  job,"  he  retorted.  "  I'd 
rather  dance  horseback  than  on  any  stage. 
I  have  to  go  over  to  Farley  with  a  lot  of 
cattle  to-morrow.  It  will  take  me  three  days. 
You  will  arrange  to  see  me  again  when  I 
come  back?  " 

no 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


"  I  surely  will,  Jo,"  she  promised. 

"  Don't  let  Jo  monopolize  you,"  said  King- 
don,  coming  up  to  them  at  the  close  of  the 
dance.  "  We  try  to  give  the  boys  plenty  of 
recreation,  and  they  don't  get  many  girls  to 
dance  with.    None  like  you." 

Pen  dutifully  promised  to  do  penance  with 
the  rank  and  file. 

"  I'll  go  and  ask  the  cook,"  said  Jo  mourn- 
fully, "else  I  won't  get  half  rations.  Then 
I'll  come  back  for  you." 

Reluctantly  he  gave  way  to  Gene  and  ap- 
proached the  cook. 

"  Say !  "  he  asked  with  a  quirk  to  his  mouth, 
"want  to  hook  on  to  the  wishbone?" 

"  Those  darned  brats  fetch  and  carry  every- 
thing they  hear,"  she  exclaimed. 

"  Forget  it.  A  wishbone's  the  best  bone  to 
pick  anyway." 

Thereafter  he  waited  patiently  for  Pen  to 
do  her  duty  dances  and  slip  one  in  with  him. 

Pen  went  to  sleep  that  night  with  blissful 
recollections  of  her  wonderful  dances  with  Jo 

in 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


and  a  vague  curiosity  as  to  whether  Kurt 
Walters  could  dance. 

For  the  greater  part  of  three  days  she  sewed 
assiduously,  surrounded  the  while  by  three 
admiring  children  who  listened  entranced  to 
a  new  kind  of  Scheherazade  tales.  Between 
times  she  gathered  flowers  for  the  many  jugs 
and  jars,  learned  to  make  salads  and  to  per- 
form little  household  duties  hitherto  unknown. 
Then  suddenly  there  came  a  swift  change  of 
mood.  The  sense  of  uneasiness,  the  need  of 
freedom,  the  desire  that  pervades  the  wistful 
note  of  the  imprisoned  bird  was  in  her  blood. 

"  My  life  is  too  full  of  work-days,"  she 
declared.  "  Three  days  of  domesticity !  I  can 
no  more.    I  will  see  if  Jo  hasn't  returned/' 

Seeking  new  fields  that  night,  she  slipped 
surreptitiously  down  to  the  mess  hall. 

"  Halloa !  "  greeted  Jo  rapturously.  "  I've 
been  watching  for  you,  Li'l  Penny  Ante.  Just 
got  back.  What  you  been  doing  since  the 
dance?  " 

"  Behaving.  And  I  must  get  even  some 
112 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


way  or  go  stark  mad.     What  have  you  been 
doing?" 

"Me?  Jakey  here  and  I've  been  enter- 
taining ourselves  with  a  game  of  craps." 

"  Play  it  with  me  instead.  It's  the  only 
game  I've  never  learned." 

"  Sure,  I'll  show  you.  Sit  down  here  on  the 
floor." 

Later  Kingdon,  in  search  of  the  missing 
guest,  strolled  down  to  the  mess  hall,  guided 
thither  by  a  rippling  laugh  chorused  with 
responsive  guffaws. 

Curious,  he  looked  in.  Seated  on  the  floor 
were  Jo  and  Pen  excitedly  playing  an  evenly 
matched  game,  while  an  adoring  circle  of  men 
applauded,  encouraged  and  scoffed  in  turn. 

There  were  two  patches  of  crimson  in  Pen's 
cream-white  cheeks,  a  bright  sparkle  of 
excitement  in  her  eyes,  which  changed  to  the 
apprehensive  look  of  a  child  expecting  reproof 
as  she  looked  up  and  saw  Kingdon. 

"  I'm  having  such  a  good  time ! "  she  told 
him  deprecatingly. 

ii3 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


He  smiled. 

"  You  look  it.  The  children  and  the  rest 
of  us  are  lamenting  your  absence.  We  want 
a  good  time,  too.,, 

"  I'll  come  again,"  she  promised,  with  a 
backward  look  at  the  men,  as  she  docilely 
walked  on  with  Kingdon. 

Jo  hurried  after  them. 

"  To-morrow's  field  day,"  he  reminded  her. 
"You'll  be  there?" 

"  I'm  living  on  the  thought  of  it.  You're 
the  manager,  aren't  you?" 

He  grinned. 

"Acting  manager  —  for  Kurt  Walters." 

"Mayn't  I  do  a  stunt,  too?"  she  asked 
eagerly. 

"  Sure  thing,  you  may.  We'll  be  glad  to 
have  a  novelty  in  the  way  of  a  lady  per- 
former.   What'll  it  be?" 

"  I'll  see  you  in  the  morning  and  tell  you 
what  I  can  do." 

Mrs.  Kingdon  smiled  understanding^  when 
she  heard  of  the  game  of  craps. 

114 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


"Just  a  few  days  up  here  have  done  won- 
ders for  you,"  she  observed,  looking  at  her 
young  charge  approvingly. 

"  Yes ;  I  feel  physically  fit  —  like  a  real 
soldier." 


US 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


CHAPTER  VI 

With  a  little  sigh  of  relief  and  pleasure, 
Pen  laid  aside  some  garments,  on  which  she 
had  been  steadily  and  surreptitiously  working, 
and  sought  Jo. 

"  Come  down  under  cover  of  one  of  the 
hills,"  she  urged,  "  and  I  will  show  you  what 
my  part  in  the  day's  work  will  be.  Special 
exhibition.  Admittance  free,  but  no  other 
spectators  allowed.,, 

Half  an  hour  later  Jo  was  gazing  at  her 
as  one  gazes  at  some  marvelous  performer, 
but  his  awe  and  admiration  were  expressed 
in  a  simple  but  effective  phrase: 

"  Oh,  baby,  but  you  can  put  it  over  them 
all!" 

That  afternoon  when  the  Kingdon  house- 
hold came  down  to  occupy  the  row  of  raised 
seats  erected  in  the  "  field,"  Pen  was  missing. 
Her  absence  was  a  mystery  until  the  following 

116 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


typed  programs  for  the  day  were  handed  out 

OUTLAW  HORSE  SHOW 
TOP  HILL   PARK 


JO  GARY,  Champion  Rider  of  Top  Hill, 

will   ride  Turn  Turtle  and  Pinch 

Hitter. 
SLEEPY  SANDY  will  ride  Battleship 

Gray  and  Baby  Doll. 
JAKEY  FOURR  will  ride  Pickled  Pete 

and  Piker. 
GENE   DOSSEY  will  ride  Hiawatha 

and  Whizz. 


MISS  PENNY  ANTE 

(Miss  Penelope  Lamont) 

Will  ride  anything  brought  into  the  ring! 


GREAT  EXHIBITION  OF  ROUGH 
RIDING  by  the  most  notorious   riders 
of  the  West.     Only  the  most  unmanage- 
able animals  will  be  ridden. 
117 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


Kingdon's  eye-glasses  came  off  with  a  sense 
of  shock. 

"  This  will  never  do,  Margaret ! "  he 
exclaimed.  "  Those  crazy  boys  have  no  sense. 
They'll  bring  out  some  of  those  wild  horses, 
and  that  meek-looking,  little  daredevil  friend 
of  Kurt's  will  call  any  bluff.  She  mustn't 
be  allowed  to  ride." 

His  wife  restrained  him  as  he  started  away. 

"  I  feel  confident  that  she  can  do  —  any- 
thing.    She  told  me  she  could  ride." 

"  Well,"  he  replied  resignedly,  "  I  always 
have  left  everything  regarding  girls  to  your 
judgment,  so  I  suppose  I  must  now,  but  I  am 
surprised  at  you." 

The  children  were  thrown  into  a  state  of 
excitement  on  deciphering  Pen's  part  in  the 
coming  feats. 

A  bugle  sounded. 

Into  the  ring  rode  the  four  slim,  young  top 
riders  of  the  ranch  force,  chaparajos  and  som- 
breros being  much  in  evidence.  They  gave 
the  usual  stunts  in  the  typical  Western  way 

118 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


on  a  track  tramped  as  hard  as  asphalt,  the 
tattoo  of  hoofs  making  the  hard  earth  ring 
in  the  soundless  atmosphere.  Their  feats, 
singly  and  together,  were  marvelous,  but 
there  was  lacking  to  the  onlookers  the  charm 
of  novelty,  as  they  had  long  been  accustomed 
to  these  and  similar  exhibitions  of  horseman- 
ship. 

Everyone's  heart  beat  a  little  faster  with 
expectancy,  therefore,  when  there  came  an- 
other blare  of  the  trumpet.  Into  the  ring 
came  "  Miss  Penny  Ante,"  slim  and  straight 
as  a  boy  scout,  clad  in  puttees,  dark  blue 
breeches  and  an  olive-drab  blouse. 

A  sleek,  shy  colt  was  suddenly  inducted  into 
the  scene  of  action.  Then  there  began  a 
frisky  game  of  maneuvers.  The  little,  would- 
be  rider  proved  as  wary  and  nimble  as  the 
colt  on  which  she  finally  succeeded  in  shoot- 
ing a  bridle.  Another  round  of  come  and  go, 
and  one  leg  went  over  the  slender  neck,  and 
then  down  the  glossy  back  slid  the  lithe  figure. 
With  a  wondering,  protesting  neigh,  the  colt 

119 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


tried  all  the  tactics  known  to  his  species,  but 
they  were  of  no  avail,  and  after  circling  and 
re-circling  the  ring,  Pen  calmly  relinquished 
him  and  awaited  the  next  offer. 

A  wild-eyed  mustang  was  the  victim.  As 
soon  as  she  was  mounted,  he  rose  high  on 
his  hind  feet  but  came  down  like  a  lamb  and 
ended  in  spinning  like  a  top  around  the  ring. 

A  general  protest  went  up  when  a  demo- 
niacal-looking buckskin  was  produced. 

"  They  are  horse-mad !  "  exclaimed  King- 
don.  "  Margaret,  this  is  going  to  stop  right 
here.,, 

"  Louis,"  she  replied  earnestly,  "  this  is 
only  horse-play  to  Pen.  No,  I  am  not  pun- 
ning. I  didn't  know  she  was  going  to  make 
this  exhibition,  but  some  way  I  feel  that  she 
can  easily  live  up  to  the  promises  in  the 
program." 

With  a  plunge  the  buckskin  went  straight 
into  mid-air  and  came  down  hard.  Then  at 
full  speed  amid  a  whirling  of  dust,  he  tried 
all  his  tricks,  but  always  the  little  figure  held 

1 20 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


her  position,  easily  triumphant,  and  finally 
the  hitherto  unmountable  animal  again  came 
trembling  to  earth  and  obediently  followed 
his  rider's  will. 

"  You've  won !  "  cried  the  cowboys. 

"  Now,  bring  me  a  horse,  a  real  saddle 
horse  —  the  kind  you  give  a  kingdom  for !  " 
she  demanded.  "  I'd  like  to  ride  a  bit,  if  you 
don't  mind." 

They  brought  her  a  beautiful  thorough- 
bred. She  rode  around  the  ring  a  few  times, 
and  then,  leaping  the  fence  to  the  inclosure, 
was  away  and  over  the  hills,  her  blood  throb- 
bing, her  heart  pounding  as  she  felt  the  soft, 
southwest  wind  in  her  face,  the  siren  song  of 
freedom  ringing  in  her  ears.  The  divine 
sweetness  of  the  mountain  air  was  in  her 
nostrils.  She  was  recalled  from  her  state  of 
rhapsody  by  the  sound  of  pounding  hoofs 
behind  her.  She  half  turned  in  her  saddle, 
expecting  to  see  Jo.  She  didn't  need  the  com- 
manding-toned "  Wait!  "  to  rein  in  her  horse. 

There  was  an  inscrutable  look  in  the  blaz- 
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Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


ing  eyes  of  the  approaching  horseman,  a  com- 
pelling force  in  his  broad  shoulders  as  he  rode 
up  to  her. 

"Where  are  you  going?  "  he  demanded. 

"  Nowhere.     Just  riding,"   she  replied. 

Her  uplifted  face  was  vivid  with  joy,  her 
eyes  sparkling.  Suddenly  a  wave  of  color 
suffused  her  cheeks. 

"  I  wasn't  running  away ! "  she  declared, 
suppressing  a  chuckle.  "  Honest,  I  wasn't. 
It's  field  day.  I've  been  doing  stunts  and  I 
just  ached  for  a  real,  regular  ride.  It's  so 
grand  to  be  astride  a  horse  and  feel  the  world 
is  yours !     When  did  you  come  home  ?  " 

"  I  haven't  come  home.  I  am  on  my  way 
to  Fowler's  to  subpoena  a  witness,  and  I  rode 
this  way  meaning  to  stop  but  a  moment.  I 
came  over  the  big  hill  just  as  you  rode  into 
the  ring." 

She  stole  a  look  at  his  impassive  face. 

"And  you  saw  the  sports?" 

"Yes;  and  rode  on  after  you  —  " 

"  Because  you  feared  your  prisoner  might 
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Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


be  taking  French  leave?  No;  this  is  the  end 
of  the  rainbow  to  me.  I  have  no  desire  to 
leave  —  at  present." 

They  were  riding  slowly  on. 

"  Where  did  you  learn  to  ride?  " 

"  I  don't  remember ;  it  was  so  long  ago." 

"  That  was  circus  riding." 

"  It  did  look  like  it,"  she  said  deprecatingly. 

"  If  you  can  ride  like  that,  why  did  you 
leave  the  circus  for  the  life  —  " 

"Of  a  crook?"  she  finished.  "Suppose  I 
stole  a  horse  and  sold  it  and  had  to  vamoose. 
Even  circus  managers  don't  employ  thieves." 

"Who  gave  you  permission  to  ride  to- 
day? "  he  demanded. 

"  She  pulled  from  the  pocket  of  her  blouse 
a  program  and  handed  it  to  him. 

"  You  see  I  was  featured,"  she  explained 
modestly. 

He  read  it  with  a  frown  expressive  of  dis- 
pleasure. 

"  Did  Mrs.  Kingdon  know  you  were  going 
to  do  this?" 

123 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


"  No  one  but  one  of  the  men  knew." 

"  How  did  you  come  to  meet  the  men  ?  " 

"  The  children  introduced  me  to  one  of  them 
and  I  met  the  others  at  the  dance.  I  never 
knew  what  dancing  really  meant  until  then. 
I've  learned  to  pay  a  very  gamey  game,  too. 
Craps." 

With  a  jerk  Kurt  brought  his  horse  to  a 
halt  and  reaching  over  caught  her  bridle  as 
she  was  about  to  spur  her  horse  onward. 

"Did  you  tell  Mrs.  Kingdon  everything?" 
he  asked  sternly. 

"  Everything  I  could  remember,"  she 
replied  demurely.  "Far  more  than  I  told 
you." 

"What  did  she  say?" 

"  She  is  going  to  talk  to  you  and  ask  you 
to  leave  the  entire  matter  in  her  hands." 

He  broke  the  short  silence  that  followed. 

"  Dancing,  craps  and  bronco-breaking  are 
not  what  I  brought  you  here  for." 

"  But  I've  done  lots  of  other  things,  too. 
Sewed  three  days  straight,  learned  how  to 

124 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


make  salads,  heard  the  children's  lessons, 
picked  flowers  and  getting  wise  to  a  home 
atmosphere  every  minute.  You  won't  send 
me  away  ?  " 

He  was  scowling  at  the  program  again. 

"  Why  are  you  called  Penny  Ante?  " 

"  You  object  to  all  of  my  names.  But  this 
one  was  Betty's  fault.  She  introduced  me  as 
1  Aunt  Penny,'  and  of  course  they  put  it  back- 
ward." 

"  Who  do  they  think  you  are  ?  " 

"  Your  '  lady  friend '  here  for  a  visit,"  she 
answered  with  the  little  giggle  that  always 
offended  him.  Then,  appeasingly :  "  Mrs. 
Kingdon  said  it  would  be  better  if  only  you 
and  she  knew  who  I  am  and  why  I  am  here 
at  the  ranch." 

"  Go  back  to  the  house,"  he  directed.  "  I'll 
be  home  in  a  few  days." 

Obediently  she  turned  her  horse  and  he  rode 
in  the  opposite  direction. 

"  Kurt  —  Mr.  Walters!  "  she  called  entreat- 
ingly. 

125 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


He  turned  in  his  saddle  and  waited  until 
she  rode  back  to  him. 

"There  is  something  I  want  to  tell  you," 
she  said,  her  eyes  downcast,  a  faint  note  of 
exultation  in  her  voice.  "  I  haven't  taken  a 
thing  —  or  tried  to  —  or  wanted  to  —  since 
I've  been  here,  and  IVe  had  lots  of  chances." 

Receiving  no  reply,  she  looked  up  plead- 
ingly, and  was  startled  at  the  transformation 
in  his  eyes,  which  were  usually  narrow,  cold 
and  of  steel-gray  shade,  but  now  were  dark, 
shining  and  full  of  infinite  pity  as  they  looked 
down  into  hers. 

"  I  am  glad  to  hear  it,"  he  said  gently. 
"  You  know  that  was  why  I  brought  you  here. 
Now  you  must  do  more  for  me.  You  mustn't 
mingle  with  the  men,  or  repeat  to-day's  pro- 
gram. I  want  you  to  be  like  her  —  a  house- 
woman.     Good-bye  —  until  I  come  home." 

He  rode  swiftly  away,  and  she  laughed 
softly  to  herself,  stopping  suddenly. 

"  It  isn't  so  funny  after  all ;  it's  really 
pathetic.     But  —  a  house-woman!    Ye  Gods! 

126 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


That  is  the  last  thing  I  want  to  be  —  or  could 
be.  It's  all  well  for  a  novelty,  but  for  steady- 
diet —  oh,  me!  If  Hebby  could  have  heard 
the  law  laid  down  to  me,  he'd  be  overcome 
with  glee.  Poor  old  Heb!  I  bet  he  is  still 
frothing  at  the  mouth  because  I  gave  him 
such  a  neat  slip.  I  seem,  however,  to  have 
only  succeeded  in  changing  keepers." 

She  rode  on,  her  conscience  smiting  her  now 
and  then  when  she  recalled  the  look  in  Kurt's 
eyes. 

"  I  don't  deserve  pity  from  him  or  any- 
one," she  thought  a  little  sadly. 

She  made  no  mention  at  Top  Hill  of  having 
met  the  foreman.  Notwithstanding  his  or- 
ders, for  three  days  she  revelled  in  the  com- 
panionship of  Jo  and  the  men. 

"  We  must  harvest  all  the  hay  we  can," 
she  told  him,  "  while  Kind  Kurt  is  away." 

On  the  evening  of  the  third  day,  she  found 
herself  watching  the  hill  road  from  town. 

"  I  feel  like  Sister  Anne,"  she  thought. 
"  It's  odd,  why  I  am  wanting  him  to  return, 

127 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


for  when  he  does,  my  fun  will  be  nipped  in  the 
bud.  It  may  be  the  feeling  of  a  dog  for  its 
master  that  I  have  acquired  for  my  sheriff 
man.  Jo  will  be  going  soon  to  Westcott's. 
I  think  I  will  play  up  to  Kind  Kurt  and  then 
tell  him  what  I  revealed  to  Mrs.  Kingdon. 
Wow!" 

She  turned  from  the  window  to  hear  the 
message  Kingdon  had  just  received  from  the 
telegraph  office  in  town.  An  old-time  friend 
had  asked  him  to  join  a  party  of  men  at  a 
ranch  a  hundred  miles  distant.  His  wife 
urged  him  to  follow  his  apparent  inclination. 

"  It'll  do  you  good,  Louis,  to  see  more  of 
your  kind  again." 

"  I  wouldn't  consider  it  if  you  didn't  have 
such  good  company,"  he  said,  with  a  whim- 
sical smile  in  Pen's  direction. 

The  following  morning,  Jo  drove  Mrs. 
Kingdon,  Pen  and  the  children  to  town  to  see 
Kingdon  off.  When  his  train  had  pulled  out, 
they  went  to  the  postoffice  and  Francis  was 
sent  in  for  the  mail. 

128 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


"  A  letter  for  you,  mother,"  he  said,  run- 
ning up  to  the  car.  "  It's  Aunt  Helen's 
writing." 

An  anxious  look  came  into  Margaret  King- 
don's  eyes  as  she  read. 

"  Doris  is  ill,  and  my  sister  wants  me  to 
come  to  her,"  she  explained  to  Pen.  "  She 
is  quite  helpless  in  a  sick  room  and  Doris  asks 
for  me.  There  is  a  train  east  in  an  hour  and 
you  can  send  my  luggage  on  to  me.  I'll 
return  as  soon  as  Doris  is  convalescent." 

"  I  will  do  all  I  can  to  help  with  the 
children,"  promised  Pen. 

"  I  know  you  will.  And  Jo  can  stop  at 
Mrs.  Merlin's  and  take  her  to  Top  Hill.  She 
always  presides  in  my  absence.  She  is  a 
good  housekeeper  and  is  never  disagreeable 
or  officious." 

"  Jo  says  Mrs.  Merlin  shinnies  on  her  own 
side,"  added  Billy. 

"Jo  is  right,"  replied  his  mother. 

At  the  station  Mrs.  Kingdon  drew  Pen 
aside. 

129 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


"  You  must  tell  Kurt,  you  know,"  she 
cautioned. 

Pen  looked  plaintive,  but  the  conductor's 
"all  aboard"  call  ended  the  conversation. 

"We'll  say  our  prayers  and  our  lessons 
like,  mother  told  us,"  said  Francis  as  they 
motored  home,  "but  of  course  we  can't  be 
too  good  all  the  time.  I  am  going  to  ride  a 
horse,  a  real  horse  —  not  a  pony." 

"  I  am  going  to  sit  up  late  nights,"  declared 
Billy. 

"  And  I  shall  wear  your  clothes  and  play 
I  am  a  boy,"  Betty  informed  him. 

"Well,"  thought  Pen,  "after  all  these 
Declarations  of  Independence,  I  feel  I  must 
get  in  the  forbidden  fruit  game,  too.  I  know 
what  I'll  do.  I'll  not  tell  Kurt  — not  right 
away,  at  least." 

Half  way  to  the  ranch  they  stopped  at  Mrs. 
Merlin's  cottage. 

"  She  certainly  looks  the  part  of  propriety 
to  perfection,"  thought  Pen,  as  she  surveyed 
the  tall,  angular,  spectacled  woman,  who  came 

130 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


to  the  car,  and  whose  grim  features  relaxed 
slightly  after  a  keen  glance  at  the  young  girl. 

"  I'll  have  four  children  this  time  instead 
of  three,"  she  said. 

"What  would  she  think,"  reflected  Pen, 
"  if  Kind  Kurt  should  tell  her  what  kind  of 
a  child  the  fourth  one  is ! " 

Back  at  Top  Hill,  Pen  packed  the  luggage 
to  be  expressed  to  Mrs..  Kingdon,  and  Jo  made 
another  trip  to  town,  planning  to  go  from 
there  to  Westcott's. 

At  dinner  time  Kurt  arrived,  and  Pen 
chuckled  as  she  easily  read  his  dismay  at  the 
situation. 

u  He's  foreseeing  and  dreading  all  sorts 
of  terrible  things  I  may  do  or  am  capable 
of  doing.  Just  because  he  is  looking  for 
trouble,  I  have  no  desire  to  give  it.  I'll  play 
a  new  role  and  show  him  what  a  tame,  good 
little  girl  I  can  be;  maybe  I'll  like  being  one 
and  it'll  turn  out  to  be  a  real  reform.  It 
would  be  awfully  odd  if  he  found  his  pedalled 
ideal  in  The  Thief!" 

131 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


She  was  conscious  of  his  searching  eyes 
upon  her.  She  looked  demurely  down.  In  a 
soft,  subdued  voice  she  read  little  stories  to 
the  children,  and  when  their  bedtime  hour 
came,  she  went  upstairs  with  them. 

Later  she  joined  him  on  the  library  ver- 
anda where  he  was  smoking  his  pipe,  for 
it  was  one  of  the  few  nights  when  it  was 
warm  enough  for  such  indulgence. 

She  went  up  to  him  unfalteringly. 

"  I  have  put  myself  on  honor  while  Mrs. 
Kingdon  is  away,"  she  said  gravely.  "  I  will 
try  hard  to  do  as  you  want  me  to  do,  but  it 
will  be  easier  for  me  if  you  will  trust  me." 

Her  eyes  looked  out  so  very  straight,  with 
none  of  the  worldly  wisdom  he  had  seen  in 
them  the  day  she  had  been  transferred  to  his 
guardianship,  that  he  found  himself  inca- 
pable of  harboring  any  further  doubt  of  her 
sincerity. 

"  I  will,"  he  said  staunchly ;  "  I  will  trust 
you  as  she  does." 

They  sat  together  in  the  moonlight  with- 
132 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


out  further  converse  and  in  the  resposeful 
silence  a  mutual  understanding  was  born. 

Presently  she  went  inside  and  played  some 
old-time  airs  on  the  piano  with  the  caress- 
ing, lingering  touch  of  those  who  play  by  ear. 

"Where  did  you  learn  to  play?"  he  asked 
wonderingly. 

She  looked  up,  slightly  startled.  She  hadn't 
heard  him  come  in  and  her  thoughts  had 
been  far  away  from  Top  Hill. 

"  I  never  did  learn,"  she  said,  rising  from 
the  piano.  '*  I  play  by  ear.  I  see  it  is  late. 
I  must  go  upstairs.  Good  night,  Mr.  Walters." 

"  Good  night,  Pen,"  he  said  kindly. 

He  returned  to  the  porch  and  pipe  and 
lost  himself  in  a  haze  of  dreams  —  such 
dreams  as  had  been  wont  to  come  to  him  in 
his  younger  days  when  he  had  been  a  cow- 
puncher  pure  and  simple.  Gathered  about  a 
roaring  camp  fire  that  lighted  up  the  rough 
and  boisterous  faces  of  his  companions,  he 
had  seemed  as  one  of  them,  but  later  when 
they  had  gone  to  well-earned  slumber  and  it 

133 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


had  been  his  turn  to  guard  the  long  lines  of 
cattle  in  the  cool  of  the  cottonwoods,  he  had 
used  to  gaze  into  the  mysteries  of  a  desert 
moon  slowly  drifting  through  a  cerulean  sky 
and  dream  a  boy's  dream  of  the  woman  who 
was  to  come  to  him. 

As  he  grew  older  and  came  more  into  con- 
tact with  the  world,  he  was  brought  to  an 
overwhelming  realization  that  the  woman  of 
his  dreams  did  not  exist.  The  knowledge 
made  an  ache  in  his  heart,  but  to-night  he 
was  again  longing  with  the  primary  instinct 
that  would  not  be  killed, —  longing  for  the 
One. 

Pen  went  to  bed  and  to  sleep.  The  next 
day  she  was  a  perfect  model  of  a  young  house- 
wife. She  helped  the  children  with  their 
little  lessons,  filled  all  the  vases,  trained  some 
vines,  and  then  with  some  needlework  went 
out  on  the  veranda.  At  the  table  she  lis- 
tened and  responded  interestedly  to  Mrs. 
Merlin's  bromidic  remarks,  was  gentle  with 
the  children  and  most  flatteringly  deferential 

134 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


to  Kurt.  Of  her  former  banter  and  coquetry 
toward  him  there  was  no  trace.  After  the 
children  had  gone  to  bed,  she  played  crib- 
bage  with  Mrs.  Merlin  while  Kurt  read  the 
papers. 

When  she  was  undressing  that  night  she 
examined  her  shoulders  in  the  mirror  very 
closely. 

"  There  should  be  little  wings  sprouting. 
I  was  never  even  make-believe  good  before. 
The  relapse  will  be  a  winner  when  it  comes. 
If  I  could  only  steady  down  to  something 
like  a  normal  life.    But  I  never  shall.,, 

She  was  standing  pensively  by  a  rosebush 
the  next  morning  feeling  appallingly  weary 
of  well-doing  when  Kurt  in  his  riding  clothes 
suddenly  appeared  before  her. 

"Would  you  like  to  ride  this  morning?  " 
he  asked.     "Work  is  slack  just  now." 

With  a  rush  of  joy  she  got  into  her  boyish 
looking  outfit  and  mounted  the  horse  he  had 
chosen  for  her,  a  thoroughbred  animal  but 
one  far  different  from  those  she  had  tried 

135 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


out  on  field  day.  She  was  very  careful  not 
to  try  to  outride  the  foreman,  or  to  perform 
any  of  her  marvels  of  horsemanship.  They 
had  a  long  exhilarating  ride  over  the  foot- 
hills, and  she  felt  the  blood  leaping  again  in 
her  arteries  at  the  turning  from  the  com- 
fortable channels  of  house  life  into  the  lure 
of  the  open. 

"  I  was  never  meant  for  indoors/'  she 
thought.  "  I  think  I  can  stand  it  up  here  a 
while  longer  if  he'll  give  me  more  of  this 
exercise." 

That  night  as  they  sat  in  the  library  alone, 
he  lost  his  habitual  reticence  and  talked  — 
through  her  guidance  —  of  himself  and  his 
life. 

"  Does  it  satisfy  you  always,"  she  asked. 
"  Wouldn't  you  like  the  power  of  ruling  fate:s 
and  fortunes  in  a  city  way?" 

"  No ;  "  he  replied,  almost  fiercely.  "  When 
a  man  has  circled  the  herd  and  risen  in  his 
stirrups  to  throw  a  lariat  and  watched  through 
the  night  by  the  light  of  camp  fires,  nothing 

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else  calls  to  him  quite  the  same  way.  I 
couldn't  endure  to  live  a  bottled  up  life  —  the 
life  of  cities.  Men  of  my  kind  are  branded; 
they  may  wander,  but  they  always  come  back. 
After  you  once  get  on  intimate  terms  with 
the  mountain  and  the  blue  overhead,  other 
things  don't  satisfy." 

She  drew  him  into  further  conversation 
regarding  his  former  life,  responding  briefly 
but  with  an  undercurrent  of  interest  that  put 
him  on  good  terms  with  himself. 

In  the  days  that  followed,  these  rides 
became  frequent,  and  despite  the  fact  that 
they  seldom  spoke,  they  unconsciously  grew 
into  a  closeness  of  companionship  which  saved 
her  from  the  ennui  of  unwonted  domestic 
environment.  The  intense  vitality  of  the 
young  foreman  attracted  her,  and  she  began 
to  have  a  friendly  sympathy  for  him,  and  even 
to  feel  a  tranquil  satisfaction  in  his  repose- 
ful silence.  At  times  she  was  sorely  tempted 
to  show  him  the  same  little  impish  self  she 
had  portrayed  on  their  first  ride  up  the  trail, 

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and  sometimes  her  conscience  would  sting 
her  that  she  had  failed  to  confide  in  him  as 
Mrs.  Kingdon  had  advised,  but  his  gray  eyes 
looked  out  so  very  straight  and  with  such 
calm  kindliness  —  the  gaze  of  a  man  who  has 
lived  the  simple  life  in  the  open  —  and  with 
so  little  affinity  to  the  eyes  of  the  world-wise, 
that  she  found  herself  incapable  of  carrying 
out  her  intentions. 

One  night  when  the  men  had  arranged  to 
have  another  dance,  Pen  paid  unusual  atten- 
tion to  her  dress.  She  came  downstairs,  a 
slight  little  figure  in  a  soft,  flower-sprigged, 
old-fashioned  muslin  (designed  originally  for 
bedroom  windows  and  donated  by  Mrs.  King- 
don), her  hair  softly  brought  to  the  crown 
of  her  head,  with  little  curling  rings  about 
her  brow.  A  freshness  like  the  first  faint 
fragrance  of  young  spring  seemed  to  hover 
about  her.  Kurt  surveyed  her  with  a  look 
akin  to  adoration.     Then  his  eyes  dropped. 

"  Don't  dance  with  the  boys  to-night,"  he 
said  abruptly. 

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"  I  must  play  the  ingenue  part  for  which  I 
am  costumed,"  she  thought. 

"  Mrs.  Kingdon  told  me,"  she  said  gently, 
"  that  the  boys  had  so  few  opportunities  for 
partners,  I  must  divide  my  dances  equally." 

"  There's  a  party  of  tourists  —  teachers  — 
at  Westcott's.  I've  asked  them  over.  The 
boys  can  dance  with  them." 

"  Well,"  she  assented  graciously,  "  I'll  just 
dance  with  Betty  and  Francis  and  Billy  —  " 

"  And  me,"  he  finished. 

"  Thank  you.  I  didn't  know  that  you 
danced." 

In  the  dance  hall  she  looked  eagerly  about, 
hoping  that  Jo  might  have  been  invited,  but 
she  was  disappointed. 

"  I  am  not  dancing,"  she  thought,  when 
Kurt  was  guiding  her  over  the  floor.  "  I  am 
just  being  deliciously  carried  about.  It's  very 
restful,  but  not  exhilarating.  Oh,  Jo,  where 
art  thou?  It  was  like  drinking  champagne 
to  dance  with  you,  but  I  suppose  continuous 
champagne  is  bad  for  one." 

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Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


Later  that  night  when  she  was  taking  off 
her  dancing  slippers  her  thoughts  were  still 
of  the  man  with  whom  she  had  danced  so 
many  times. 

"  He's  kind  and  good  and  strong  —  a  sup- 
pressed strength.  He  looks  passion-proof; 
but  if  he  ever  falls  in  love!  And  what  a 
triumph  for  a  thief  to  capture  an  adamantine 
heart !  But  I  don't  want  that  kind  —  nor  any 
kind." 

Down  in  the  bunkhouse,  Kurt  was  recalling 
the  feel  of  her  little  hand  that  had  left  a  trail 
like  fire  upon  his  arm  and  had  filled  him  with 
a  sensation  of  ecstasy.  A  new  divine  sweet- 
ness seemed  born  into  the  air.  He  looked 
out  of  his  window  up  into  a  star-flecked  sky 
and  renewed  his  old  vow  of  allegiance  to  The 
Woman. 


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Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


CHAPTER  VII 

The  next  day  Francis  carried  out  his  cher- 
ished intention  of  being  a  "  bit  bad,"  and  in 
violation  of  orders,  surreptitiously  mounted  a 
"  real  horse  "  instead  of  his  well-behaved  little 
pony,  and  set  out  on  adventure  bound. 

The  horse,  surprised  at  his  burden,  can- 
tered casually  along  at  first;  then,  resenting 
the  intrusion,  began  to  toss  his  head,  snort 
and  curvet  about.  The  lad,  a  little  frightened 
but  game,  kept  his  seat  and  the  horse,  seem- 
ingly ashamed  to  trifle  longer  with  so  small 
a  foe,  resumed  his  easy  canter,  though  at  a 
swifter  pace  than  Francis  was  wont  to  ride. 
All  might  have  ended  well,  had  not  Kurt  in  his 
home-made  car  suddenly  sounded  a  blatant 
horn  as  he  came  around  a  curve.  To  his 
vision  was  disclosed  a  plunging  horse  and  a 
small,  fair-haired  atom  of  a  boy  clinging  to 
his  neck.     There  was  a  forward  plunge  and 

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the  horse  thundered  on  like  mad  along  a  nar- 
row slant  of  road  with  never  a  slackening 
of  speed. 

Kurt  cranked  up  for  pursuit,  but  his  crude 
craft  was  not  built  on  speed  lines,  and  he  saw 
the  distance  fast  eaten  up  between  him  and 
the  frenzied  horse.  Then,  with  tiger  swift- 
ness, Kingdon's  car,  a  motor  of  make,  passed 
him,  Gene  at  the  wheel,  Pen  beside  him.  The 
sight  gave  him  no  hope.  They  could  doubt- 
less overtake  the  horse,  but  they  could  not 
stop  him  and  if  they  could,  the  boy  would 
be  thrown. 

Pen's  clear  young  voice  came  like  a  clarion 
call: 

"Stick  tight,  Francis!  Burr-tight!  We'll 
get  you  all  right." 

Gene  steered  the  car  to  the  cliff  side  of  the 
road  to  prevent  the  peril  of  a  plunge  by  the 
horse. 

When  the  long,  low  racing  car  was  nearly 
up  to  the  Mazeppa  flier,  a  thrill  ran  through 
Kurt  as  he  saw  Pen  step  out  on  the  running 

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board.  He  forgot  the  boy's  danger  as  he 
divined  her  purpose. 

The  car  closed  in  on  the  horse.  The  girl 
leaned  far  out,  snatched  the  boy  from  the 
horse  and  climbed  back  into  the  car  which  now- 
slowed  up. 

It  was  done  in  a  second,  so  swiftly,  so  aptly 
that  Kurt  could  only  sit  and  gape  with  the 
sort  of  fore-knowledge  that  it  must  come  out 
all  right,  as  one  gazes  at  a  thrilling  scene  in 
a  motion  picture.  When  he  came  alongside 
the  car,  Gene  looked  up  with  a  challenging 
grin.  Francis,  though  pale  and  breathing 
quickly,  wore  a  triumphant  look.  Pen's 
expression  was  entirely  normal. 

Kurt  tried  to  speak,  but  his  voice  was  dry 
in  his  throat. 

"I  stuck  on,  didn't  I?"  clamored  Francis 
in  satisfied  tone. 

Then  Kurt  recovered  and  began  to  repri- 
mand the  lad,  but  a  certain  sparkle  in  Pen's 
eyes  as  she  clasped  the  lad  to  her  restrained 
him. 

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Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


He  turned  upon  Gene. 

"  Did  you  know  she  was  going  to  do  that?  " 

"  Sure !  "  was  the  confident  reply.  "  I  knew 
she  could  do  it." 

He  flung  Kingdon's  racer  into  motion  and 
slid  on  down  the  white  ribbon  of  road  to  the 
ranch,  wThile  Kurt's  little  machine  rattled  and 
creaked  and  jolted  along. 

"  He'll  be  sore  at  coming  in  after  the  black 
flag/'  chuckled  Gene.  "  Kurt  ain't  used  to 
being  second,  but  I  don't  often  get  a  chance 
at  this  car." 

Kurt  didn't  come  up  to  the  house  all  that 
day  until  long  after  the  dinner  hour.  He 
found  Pen  alone  in  the  invitingly-furnished 
sitting  room,  the  amber  light  from  a  shaded 
lamp  bringing  out  the  gleaming  gold  in  her 
hair. 

She  looked  up  with  a  shy  smile  of  welcome, 
and  instantly  he  felt  the  charm  a  woman  could 
bring  to  a  room  like  this  —  a  room  full  of 
rest  and  harmony  —  a  haven  to  a  man  wearied 
from  the  day's  work. 

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Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


He  sat  by  the  table  opposite  her  —  too  con- 
tent to  desire  his  pipe. 

"  Where  are  they  all  ?  "  he  asked  presently. 

"  Francis  was  tired  and  repentant  after 
the  excitement  wore  off  and  was  quite  ready 
to  go  to  bed  early.  Billy  and  Betty  followed 
suit.     Mrs.  Merlin  has  a  headache." 

"  How  did  you  come  to  be  riding  with  Gene 
this  morning?"  he  asked  abruptly. 

"  Mrs.  Merlin  asked  us  to  go  to  her  cottage 
for  some  things  she  needed.  She  thought 
Gene  wouldn't  be  able  to  find  them." 

The  natural  tone  of  her  reply  and  her  utter 
lack  of  surprise  or  resentment  at  his  question 
quite  appeased  him. 

"It's  a  little  cool  to-night,"  he  said  sud- 
denly.    "Wouldn't  you  like  to  have  a  fire?" 

She  thought  it  would  be  nice,  and  interest- 
edly watched  him  build  one  in  the  big  fireplace. 

He  formed  a  fortress  of  logs  with  the 
usual  huge  one  for  a  background.  When  he 
had  a  fire  to  his  liking  he  came  and  sat  beside 
her. 

145 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


"  That  was  wonderful  —  what  you  did  this 
morning,"  he  said  abruptly. 

"No;  it  was  simply  instinctive." 

"  It  was  a  hair-breadth  thing  to  do,  but  very 
brave." 

"  It  wasn't  bravery,"  she  denied  after  a 
moment's  reflection.  "  It  was  —  I  can't  tell 
you  just  what  it  was." 

"  It  made  me  bless  the  fate  that  led  me  to 
you  that  day." 

"  Then,"  she  said  lightly,  but  coloring  con- 
fusedly, "  I  am  glad  I  was  able  to  do  it  —  to 
repay  you  and  Mrs.  Kingdon  in  part.  But 
where  have  you  been  all  day  ?  " 

"  I  have  been  down  in  the  farthest  field." 

"Working?" 

"  Yes ;  and  thinking.  Thinking  of  you  — 
and  what  you  did." 

"  Where  did  you  have  dinner?  " 

"  I  have  had  none.  I  am  only  just  aware 
that  I  would  like  some.  I  came  through  the 
kitchen  on  my  way  in,  but  the  cook  didn't 
seem  to  be  about." 

146 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


"  They  are  having  some  sort  of  entertain- 
ment in  the  mess  hall.,, 

"  I  am  glad  you  didn't  go,"  he  said  impet- 
uously. 

"  I  thought  you  would  rather  I  didn't  go," 
she  replied  docilely.  "  I  will  try  to  find  you 
something  to  eat.  Will  you  come  and  help 
me?  Cook  says  you  are  a  champion  coffee 
maker." 

They  went  through  the  kitchen  into  a 
smaller  room. 

"Betty  calls  this  the  'kitchen  yet!'  But 
can  you  cook?"  said  Kurt. 

"  I  am  glad  I  won't  be  called  upon  to  prove 
it.  The  larder's  well  larded,  and  I  will  set 
this  little  table  while  you  make  the  coffee." 

By  the  time  the  coffee  was  made,  she  had 
set  forth  an  inviting  little  supper.  She  sat 
opposite  him  and  poured  the  coffee.  It  seemed 
to  him  some  way  that  it  was  the  coziest  meal 
he  had  eaten  since  his  home  days  —  the  early 
home  days  before  his  mother  died  and  he  had 
gone  to  the  prunish  aunt. 

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Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


"  We  must  leave  things  as  we  found  them," 
she  told  him  when  they  could  no  longer  make 
excuse  for  lingering. 

"  I  feel  in  a  very  domestic  mood,"  he  said, 
as  he  wiped  the  few  dishes. 

"  Do  you  know  I  have  a  very  hearthy  feel- 
ing myself.  I  know  why  a  cat  purrs.  Every- 
thing is  shipshape  now.  I'll  say  good  night, 
and  —  " 

"  Come  back  to  the  fire,"  he  entreated.  "  I 
want  to  smoke." 

Back  in  the  library  Pen  made  herself  com- 
fortable on  one  of  the  window  seats,  pulling 
up  the  shade  to  let  the  moonlight  stream  in. 

He  followed  and  sat  beside  her,  watching 
in  silence  the  pensive,  young  profile,  the 
straight  little  features,  the  parted  lips,  as  she 
gazed  away  over  the  moonlit  hills.  He  felt 
a  strange  yearning  tenderness. 

"Pen!" 

She  turned,  a  sweet,  alluring  look  in  her 
eyes. 

"  Pen!  "  he  said  again. 
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Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


"Yes  — Kurt" 

Some  alien,  inexplicable  force  seemed  to 
battle  with  his  nature.  His  lips  quivered  and 
then  compressed  as  if  in  a  mighty  resolution. 

A  moment  later  she  slid  from  the  window 
seat  to  the  floor. 

"It  is  late;  good  night!"  she  said  quietly: 

He  rose,  took  her  hand  in  his  and  said 
earnestly : 

"  Good  night,  Pen.    I  wish  —  " 

Again  he  stopped  abruptly. 

"  I  know  what  you  wish,"  she  said  in  a 
matter  of  fact  way;  "you  are  wishing  that  I 
had  never  been  —  a  thief." 

The  color  flooded  his  face ;  embarrassment, 
longing  and  regret  struggled  visibly  for 
mastery. 

"  Good  night,"  she  repeated,  as  she  quickly 
sped  from  the  room,  leaving  him  speechless. 

Upstairs  in  her  room  she  stood  by  the 
window. 

"  Kurt,"  she  soliloquized,  "  you've  been 
weighed  and  found  wanting.    You  don't  know 

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Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


what  love  is.    No  man  does.    It  is  a  woman's 
kingdom." 

Then  a  radiant  smile  drove  the  reflective 
shadows  from  her  eyes.  There  had  burst 
forth  a  whistle,  clear,  keen,  inspiring.  Only 
one  person  in  her  world  was  so  lark-like,  so 
jubilant,  so  joyous  of  nature  as  to  improvise 
such  a  trilling  melody. 

With  an  expectant  smile  she  looked  out  and 
saw  Jo  crossing  the  moonlit  lawn. 

"  Halloa,  Jo!  "  she  called  softly. 

He  looked  up,  extended  his  cap  at  arm's 
length  with  a  gay  flourish  and  called: 

"  Bless  your  little  heart  of  honey !  What 
are  you  doing  up  so  late?  " 

"  Is  it  late  ?  "  she  asked  in  arch  surprise. 
"  I'm  so  sorry,  for  I  was  going  to  say  I'd 
come  down  for  a  little  walk  with  you." 

"  'Deed,  it's  never  too  late  for  that ;  but  say, 
little  Penny  Ante,  Kurt  is  sitting  in  the  library 
window  —  " 

"  I  am  not  coming  into  view  of  the  library 
window.    Wait  a  moment !    Catch  this." 

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Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


She  picked  up  her  sweater  from  the  window 
seat  and  threw  it  down  to  him,  stepped  nimbly 
over  the  railing  of  the  little  balcony,  made  a 
quick  spring,  caught  the  branch  of  a  nearby 
tree  and  slid  down  to  earth. 

"  Say,  you  little  squirrel !  You'd  make  some 
sailor.  It's  hungry  I've  been  for  sight  of  you. 
I  met  Gene  in  town  this  afternoon  and  he  told 
me  about  the  wonderful  stunt  you  pulled  off 
this  morning  for  Francis." 

"  That  was  nothing.  But  —  have  you  come 
back,  Jo?" 

"  Not  yet.  I'm  motoring  in  from  town  and 
left  my  car  down  in  the  road.  I  just  thought 
I'd  pass  by  your  window  and  let  out  a  whistle 
for  you." 

"Jo,  I  came  down  to  say  something  se- 
rious —  " 

"  You  can  say  anything  you  like  to  me, 
Miss  Penny  Ante,"  he  replied  encouragingly. 

"  Come  away  where  no  one  can  overhear 
our  voices." 

They  strolled  away  out  of  the  moonlight 
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Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


to  the  shelter  of  some  shrubbery  where  they 
talked  long  and  earnestly.  On  the  way  back 
to  the  house,  Pen,  lifting  her  eyes  to  his,  was 
struck  by  the  look  in  his  boyish  face. 

"Jo,"  she  said,  a  slight  wistfulness  in  her 
tone,  "you  really  love  —  the  way  a  woman 
loves." 

"What's  the  use,"  he  said  defiantly,  "if 
the  one  I  love  won't  have  me  —  she  —  " 

He  stopped  short  and  looked  at  her  keenly. 

"  You  know,  Jo,  you  must  learn  to  be 
patient  and  await  —  developments." 

A  light  leaped  to  his  eyes. 

"I'll  wait!  But  the  limit  mustn't  be  too 
far.  Do  you  know  what  Gene  confided  to  me 
to-night?  He  thinks  that  Kurt  is  in  love 
with  you ! " 

She  laughed  mirthlessly. 

"Kurt!  He  wouldn't  know  how  to  love. 
If  he  did,  he  wouldn't  let  himself.  He  would 
hang  on  to  his  love  like  a  Jew  to  a  bargain. 
Who  would  want  a  grudging  love?  " 

"  Kurt  is  my  pal  —  he  —  " 
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Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


"  He  won't  be  if  he  finds  us  lingering  here. 
You  reconnoitre  and  see  if  he  is  still  in  the 
window.  I  don't  intend  to  shinny  up  this 
tree.  It's  so  much  easier  going  down  than 
up." 

"  You  can  go  in  the  kitchen  way.  It's 
cook's  affinity  night,  and  she's  somewhere  with 
Gus." 

"  The  kitchen  is  where  I  go  in  then.  Jo, 
are  you  very  sure  that  you  are  in  love  — 
enough  to  marry  a  thief?  You're  only  a  boy. 
Better  keep  your  love  until  you  are  older." 

"  I  am  not  a  boy.     I  am  two  and  twenty." 

"  Quite  an  old  man !  I'll  see  you  very  soon 
again,  and  maybe  I  can  give  you  —  your 
answer.  Kurt  goes  to  town  early  in  the 
morning.  Meet  me  in  the  pergola  near  the 
garage.     Good  night !  " 

By  way  of  the  kitchen  and  back  stairs  she 
reached  her  room  undetected. 

"  Dear  old  Jo !  Poor  Kurt !  "  she  thought 
sleepily,  as  she  stretched  herself  luxuriously 
to  rest.     "  It's  a  very  small,  very  funny  old 

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Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


world,  and  the  thief  is  certainly  getting  in 
deep  waters." 

On  the  trail  to  Westcott's,  Jo  was  chuckling 
to  himself. 

"  The  little  thief !  If  she  isn't  the  slickest 
little  lass  I  ever  saw !  " 

In  the  library,  oblivious  to  time  and  place, 
Kurt  still  lingered,  his  dream-like  memories 
trying  to  learn  the  tune  that  Pan  was  piping 
on  his  reeds. 


154 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


CHAPTER  VIII 

At  the  breakfast-table  Pen  found  at  her 
plate  a  little  bunch  of  flowers,  clumsily 
arranged  and  tied. 

"  From  Jo,"  informed  Betty  —  "  The  Bul- 
letin," as  her  father  was  wont  to  call  her. 
"  He  came  just  after  Uncle  Kurt  started  for 
town." 

Pen  smiled  as  she  took  up  the  little  stiff 
nosegay.  She  held  it  lightly  for  a  moment, 
looking  down  at  the  blossoms.  There  was  a 
mute  appeal  in  the  little  messengers  from  the 
boyish  lover.  Something  infinitely  tender 
stirred  in  her  heart  for  a  second,  bringing 
a  tear  to  her  eye,  as  she  mused  upon  his  boy- 
ish faith  in  love. 

She  put  the  flowers  in  the  glass  of  water 
beside  her  plate,  and  gave  her  attention  to  the 
prattle  of  the  children. 

After  breakfast  she  pinned  the  little  nose- 
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Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


gay  to  her  middy  and  went  down  to  the 
pergola. 

Jo  saw  her  coming  and  hurried  forward  to 
meet  her,  his  eyes  brightening  when  he  saw 
the  flowers. 

"  Thank  you,  Jo.     They  are  very  pretty." 

"  Thank  you  for  wearing  them." 

"  I  asked  you  to  come  here  this  morning, 
Jo,  so  you  would  do  me  a  favor." 

"  You  know  I  would." 

"  Will  you  mail  this  letter  for  me?  I  wrote 
it  last  night  after  you  left,  and  you  are  the 
only  one  I  can  trust.  And  —  Jo  —  will  you 
please  not  read  the  address?  " 

He  put  the  letter  in  his  pocket. 

"  You  can  trust  me." 

"  You  had  better  go,  because  I  hear  the 
rattle  that  can  be  made  only  by  Kurt's  car. 
He  must  have  come  back  for  something. 
You  can  go  around  the  bend  here." 

"  Say,  Penny  Ante,  I  don't  like  this  deceiv- 
ing him  —  " 

"Just  a  bit  longer,  Jo,"  she  said  persua- 
156 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


sively.     "  Mrs.   Kingdon  said  to  wait  until 
her  return." 

He  followed  her  instructions,  and  she 
returned  to  the  house. 

"  It's  a  great  possession,"  she  thought  mus- 
ingly, "  the  big  love  of  a  true  and  simple  heart 
like  his.  It  would  probably  be  idyllic  to  live 
a  life  of  love  up  here  in  these  hills  with  the 
man  of  one's  choice,  I  suppose,  but  a  hap- 
piness too  tame  for  me.  To  be  sure,  there 
would  be  the  excitement  of  trying  to  ruffle 
the  love-feathers,  but  that,  too,  in  time  would 
pall.  I  wonder  how  much  longer  I  shall  stay 
hidden  up  here  before  my  past  finds  me  out. 
Any  minute  something  is  sure  to  drop  and 
I  will  be  called  back  —  back  to  my  other  life 
that  is  less  enticing  now  I  have  had  a  taste 
of  domesticity. 

"  But,"  she  reflected,  "  domesticity  doesn't 
satisfy  long.  This  semi-security  is  getting  on 
my  nerves.  Hebby  isn't  so  good  a  trailer  as 
I  feared  he  would  be,  or  he'd  have  tracked 
me  up  here." 

157 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


Her  meditations  were  diverted  by  a  tattoo 
upon  her  door  which  she  had  locked  so  that 
the  ever-present,  ever-prying  Betty  and  the 
all-wise  Francis  could  not  intrude. 

"Aunt  Penny,  let  us  in!"  came  in 
aggrieved  chorus. 

"  Fve  a  message  for  you,  Aunt  Pen.  Open 
the  door/'  came  Francis'  insistent  voice. 

The  pounding  and  the  voices  forced  a 
capitulation.     She  admitted  the  trio. 

"  Mrs.  Merlin  is  going  to  take  us  to  her 
house  for  the  rest  of  the  day,"  informed 
Francis,  "  and  we  will  have  a  picnic  dinner 
there.  She  would  have  asked  you,  too,  only 
Uncle  Kurt  came  back  and  wants  you  to  ride 
with  him.  He  didn't  have  to  go  'Way  to 
town,  'cause  he  met  the  man  he  wanted  to 
see  on  the  way  here." 

"  Now  what  has  come  over  the  spirit  of  his 
dreams?"  Pen  asked  herself  wonderingly 
as  she  got  into  her  riding  things.  "  Well, 
there  is  always  the  refuge  of  fast  riding. 
That  is  the  only  time  I  can  make  my  tongue 

158 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


behave.     I'll  give  him  no  chance  to  preach, 
that's  sure!" 

When  they  set  out  on  their  ride,  she  was 
careful  not  to  let  the  brisk  pace  falter.  They 
stopped  for  luncheon  at  a  ranch-house  where 
there  were  many  people  at  the  table;  but  on 
the  way  home,  when  nearing  the  big  bend, 
Kurt  rode  up  to  her;  his  detaining  hand  on 
the  bridle  slackened  the  speed  she  was  striving 
to  maintain. 

"  I  want  to  say  something  to  you,"  he  began 
stiffly.  "  You  mustn't  think  because  I  say 
nothing,  that  I  am  unmindful  of  what  you 
have  overcome  —  I  —  " 

She  stole  a  side  glance  at  him.  His  eyes 
were  as  sombre  and  impenetrable  as  ever,  but 
his  chin  worked  nervously. 

"  You  mean  that  I  deserve  a  credit  mark 
for  not  having  lifted  the  children's  banks, 
or  helped  myself  to  the  family  silver  and 
jewels.  It's  sweet  in  you  to  put  such  trust 
in  me  and  commend  me  for  such  heroic 
resistance !  " 

159 


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She  jerked  her  bridle  from  his  grasp  and 
rode  furiously  on  to  the  house,  and  had  dis- 
mounted and  escaped  to  her  room  before  he 
could  overtake  her. 


160 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


CHAPTER  IX 

Pen  found  the  ranch-house  quite  deserted 
the  next  morning.  Kurt  had  gone  to  Wolf 
Creek  to  purchase  cattle  and  would  not  return 
until  night.  A  little  scrawled  note  from 
Francis  apprised  her  of  the  fact  that  Mrs. 
Merlin  was  taking  himself,  Billy  and  Betty 
to  spend  the  day  at  her  own  home. 

"  A  whole  day  alone  for  the  first  time  in 
ages!  "  she  thought  exultingly.  "  It  is  surely 
Pen  Lamont's  day.  What  shall  I  do  to  cele- 
brate? Stop  the  clock  and  play  with  the 
matches?  I  must  do  something  stupendous. 
I  know.  I  will  go  into  town  and  shop.  I  will 
go  in  style,  too." 

She  took  Kingdon's  racing  car  out  of  the 
garage,  and  was  soon  speeding  down  the 
hills  with  the  little  thrill  of  ecstasy  that  comes 
from  leaving  a  beaten  track. 

In  town  she  left  the  car  in  front  of  the 
161 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


hotel  and  went  down  the  Main  street,  looking 
in  dismay  at  the  windows  loaded  with  assorted 
and  heterogeneous  lots  of  feminine  apparel. 
At  last  she  came  to  a  little  shop  with  but  three 
garments  on  display,  all  of  them  quite  smart 
in  style. 

"  You  must  be  a  '  lost,  strayed  or  stolen/  " 
she  apostrophized  in  delight. 

She  went  within  and  purchased  two  gowns 
with  all  the  many  and  necessary  accessories 
thereto. 

"  Lucky,  Kind  Kurt  and  Bender  didn't 
search  me  that  day,"  she  thought.  "  I  never 
saw  a  sheriff  or  a  near-sheriff  so  slack.  If 
they'd  been  in  my  business,  they'd  have  known 
that  you  can't  always  tell  what's  in  the  pocket 
of  a  ragged  frock." 

She  visited  in  turn  a  shoe  store,  a  soda 
water  fountain  and  a  beauty  shop.  Then  it 
was  the  town  time  for  dining,  and  she 
returned  to  the  hotel. 

"  I  shouldn't  have  exhausted  the  resources 
of  the  town  so  soon,"  she  thought  ruefully, 

162 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


as  she  stood  in  the  office  after  registering. 
"  I  don't  know  what  I  will  do  this  afternoon 
unless  I  sit  in  a  red  plush  chair  in  the  Ladies' 
Parlor  and  gaze  out  through  the  meshes  of 
a  coarse  lace  curtain  at  the  passers-by.  I 
might  call  on  Bender  and  see  if  he'd  remem- 
ber me.  Bet  his  wife  would.  Maybe  some- 
thing interesting  will  come  along,  though." 

Something  did.  It  came  in  the  shape  of  a 
lean,  brown-faced  young  man. 

"Larry,  Larry!"  she  cried.  "It's  a  home- 
coming to  see  you.  I  hadn't  any  idea  what 
part  of  the  world  you  were  in.  What  are 
you  doing  here?" 

"  The  Thief ! "  he  exclaimed,  his  dark  eyes 
beaming  with  pleasure. 

"  Not  so  loud.  I  am  Pen  Lamont,  at  pres- 
ent. Incog,  you  see,  under  my  real  name, 
the  least  known  of  any.  So  don't  squeal  on 
me. 

"  I  never  gave  anyone  away  yet,  Pen,  dear. 
What  are  you  doing  in  this  neck  6'  the 
woods  ?  " 

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Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


"  I  am  in  hiding  in  the  hills  —  at  a  ranch 
—  quite  domesticated.  My  first  glimpse  of  a 
home.    Like  it  better  than  I  supposed  I  could." 

"  You'd  better  watch  out.  Hebler  is  up  in 
these  parts  somewhere,  I  hear.  He'll  get  you 
yet,  Pen!" 

"  Hebler !  You  make  my  heart  stop  beat- 
ing. I  hit  this  trail  more  to  escape  him  than 
anything  else.     What  is  he  here  for  ?  " 

"  For  you,  I  fancy.  I  ran  across  Wilks 
the  other  day  and  he  said  he  heard  Hebler 
say,  ■  He'd  get  that  thief  if  he  never  did 
another  thing/  So  lay  low.  Are  you  here 
alone  in  town  to-day?" 

"  Alone  and  untethered  for  the  first  time  in 
ages.     Same  with  you  ?  " 

"  You're  right  as  to  the  alone  part ;  but  I 
am  not  altogether  free.  I  have  to  give  an 
exhibition  fool  flight  this  afternoon  in  my 
little  old  flier.  We'll  have  dinner  together, 
and  the  rest  of  the  day.    Will  you  ?  " 

"Willi?    Try  me." 

"  What's  the  idea,  Pen?  "  he  asked  as  they 
164 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


went  into  the  long  dining-room  and  chose  a 
remote  table. 

"  I  don't  know,  Larry.  I  had  one,  but  I 
seem  to  have  lost  it  in  trying  to  pick  up  others. 
I'm  floundering." 

"  You've  always  been  in  wrong,  Pen.  Wish 
you'd  find  your  level.  You  made  me  ashamed 
of  my  old  life.  I  am  string-straight  now, 
thanky." 

"  I  am  glad,  Larry.  You  never  were 
crooked,  you  know  —  just  a  bit  reckless.  Tell 
me  about  yourself." 

"  You  gave  me  a  good  steer  when  you  sug- 
gested this  sky  stuff.  I  don't  believe  a  flying 
man  could  be  very  bad  —  up  there  in  the 
clouds  in  a  world  all  his  own.  Whenever  I 
felt  as  if  I  must  break  over  the  traces  and  go 
off  for  a  time,  I'd  just  get  into  my  little  old 
flier  and  hit  the  high  spots  and  that  would 
give  me  more  thrills  than  all  the  thirst  parlors 
ever  brought.  I  am  going  soon  to  fly  for 
France.    In  fact,  I'm  '  on  my  way  '  now." 

"  Larry !  I  am  proud  of  you !  But  it  tugs 
165 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


at  my  heartstrings  to  have  you  go,  and  in  an 
aeroplane ! " 

"  Did  you  ever  go  up,  Pen?" 

"  No ;  it's  about  the  only  exciting  thing  I 
haven't  done,  and  it's  the  only  stunt  I  ever 
lacked  the  nerve  to  tackle." 

"  Terrors  of  the  unknown?  I'm  booked  for 
some  of  that  fancy  flying  this  afternoon,  and 
you  can  watch  me  from  the  field." 

"  I  knew  this  was  to  be  a  real  day,  but  I 
never  hoped  for  such  a  big  handful  of  luck  as 
seeing  you  again  and  in  such  a  good  act." 

"  Always  invest  heavily  in  hope,  Pen.  It 
is  free  to  all,  and  you  come  out  ahead  because 
you  get  your  dividends  in  anticipating  any- 
way, and  you  know  anticipation  —  " 

"  Hold  on,  Larry,  don't  be  a  bromide ! " 

"  Everyone  is  a  bromide  now.  Sulphides 
are  all  in  the  asylums.  I  am  hoping  for  a 
chance  to  win  the  medal  militaire  —  I  mean 
for  the  chance  to  do  something  worth  get- 
ting one." 

Pen's  pleasure  in  her  surreptitious  expedi- 
166 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


tion,  the  delight  in  shopping  and  the  excite- 
ment of  meeting  some  one  from  her  former 
life  had  brought  a  most  vivid  beauty  to  her 
delicate  face,  and  Larry  looked  at  her  with 
an  approval  that  brought  forth  a  sudden 
wonder. 

"  Say,  Pen !  "  he  exclaimed  excitedly,  "  you 
haven't  got  a  man  up  there  at  your  ranch, 
have  you?  " 

"  Certainly ;  two  of  them,"  she  replied 
assuredly. 

"That's  all  right.  So  long  as  there  are 
two,  it's  nothing  serious.  Safety  in  numbers, 
remember." 

After  dinner  they  motored  out  to  the  field 
where  the  exhibition  was  to  be  given.  A  coat- 
less,  tanned,  weather-beaten  crowd  had 
already  gathered. 

Pen  stood  apart  from  the  spectators,  watch- 
ing Larry  whirl,  turn  turtle,  and  perform  all 
the  aviation  agonies  so  fascinating  to  the 
untutored.  When  he  shut  off  the  engine  and 
swung  down,  skimming  the  ground  for  a  way 

167 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


and  stopping  gently,  she  was  in  waiting 
nearby. 

"I  loathe  this  kind  of  exhibition  work!" 
he  declared.  "  It's  silly  stuff,  but  it's  what  the 
public  wants.  Sure  you  don't  want  to  try  a 
little  straight  flight?"  he  tempted. 

"  N  —  o,  Larry.  Vice  versa  for  mine,  as 
the  Irishman  said." 

"  All  right.  Here,  Meder !  "  he  said  to  the 
mechanic,  who  had  come  up.  "  Take  care  of 
the  flier.     I'll  see  you  later  at  the  hotel." 

"  It  was  wonderful,  Larry,"  said  Pen  as 
they  were  motoring  to  town.  "  I  seem  to  see 
you  from  such  a  new  angle  now.  I  have 
always  thought  of  you  as  a  lovable,  happy-go- 
lucky  boy,  but  when  I  saw  you  take  the  air, 
I  knew  you  had  come  to  be  something  far 
different.  You  have  the  hawk-sense  of  bal- 
ance, the  sixth  sense  —  the  sense  woman  was 
supposed  to  have  a  monopoly  of  till  the  day 
of  aeroplanes  arrived.  You  had  nerve  to 
go  up  there  and  yet  you  were  not  nervous." 

"  A  fellow  has  to  be  without  nerve  and  yet 
168 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


nervy,"  explained  Larry.  "  If  he  loses  his 
sense  of  equilibrium  up  there,  it's  all  off;  yet 
he  has  to  be  always  ready  to  take  a  chance 
and  to  find  one." 

"  And,  Larry  —  when  you  fly  to  the  col- 
ors—" 

"  To  the  tri-colors,"  he  interrupted. 

"  It  will  bring  out  the  biggest  and  bravest 
and  best  there  is  in  you,  Larry.  I  am  so  glad! 
Don't  go  out  of  my  life  again.  Let  me  hear 
from  you  when  you  get  over." 

"  I  was  sore,  Pen,  when  you  handed  me  such 
a  lecture,  though  it  was  coming  to  me  all 
right.  But  it  stuck,  and  the  time  came  when 
I  was  grateful.  When  I  found  I  could  make 
good,  I  couldn't  find  you.  I  wrote  every  one 
of  the  crowd  or  went  to  see  them,  but  you 
had  mysteriously  disappeared.  Hebby  said 
you  must  have  been  run  in." 

"  Was ;  but  luck  was  with  me  again.  I  will 
give  you  an  address  that  will  always  reach 
me."    ■ 

"  I  shall  never  go  up,  Pen,  without  thinking 
169 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


of  you  and  to-day.     But  you  have  told  me 
very  little  of  yourself.    Are  you  still  —  " 

"  The  thief?  Not  at  present.  I  am  enjoy- 
ing an  interlude;  but  there  are  times  when 
virtue  palls,  but  I  mean  to  keep  out  of  Heb- 
ler's  clutches.  Larry,  I  believe  I  will  let  you 
out  here  —  on  the  edge  of  the  town  —  the 
main  street.  I  have  a  long  ride  before  me. 
It's  lonesome  to  say  good-bye.,, 

"  I  expect  to  be  in  two  or  three  days  yet  — 
waiting  for  some  mail." 

"  I  wish  I  might  see  you  again,  Larry,  but 
I  don't  know  how  I  can  manage  it.  If  any- 
one knew  I  were  in  town  to-day,  it  might  lead 
to  —  developments.  Send  me  your  address 
at  the  port  you  are  to  sail  from,  and  I'll  have 
things  there  for  you." 

"Good-bye,  Pen.  You're  the  best  little 
scout  I  ever  knew." 

He  kissed  her  and  got  out  of  the  car.  There 
were  tears  in  her  eyes  as  she  motored  on  up 
through  the  hills  land.  The  air  grew  cold  and 
brisk;    she    felt    the    sense    of    silence    and 

170 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


strength.  She  recalled  her  first  ride  up  these 
hills  in  the  early  morning,  and  that  turned 
her  thoughts  to  Kurt.  She  wondered  if  he 
were  of  the  stuff  that  bird  men  are  made  of. 
How  much  more  sphinx-like  he  was,  and  how 
different  from  the  keen,  alert,  business-like 
flier  Larry  had  shown  himself  to  be!  They 
were  types  as  remote  as  the  eagle  and  the  lark. 
Larry,  of  course,  was  the  lark.  She  had  a 
feeling  of  loneliness  in  her  knowledge  of  his 
going  so  far  away.  He  knew  more  about 
her  than  any  one  else.  She  never  had  to  play 
a  part  with  him. 

Soon,  all  too  soon,  she  found  herself  at  the 
ranch.  Dinner  was  over  and  the  children 
had  gone  up-stairs  with  Mrs.  Merlin. 

Kurt  returned  a  few  moments  later  and 
came  into  the  library  where  she  sat  alone  by 
the  open  fire,  pensive  and  distrait,  still  think- 
ing of  Larry  and  of  his  going  into  service. 

He  looked  at  her  oddly.  This  was  not  the 
pert,  saucy,  little  girl  he  had  taken  from 
Bender,  nor  the  little  playmate  of  the  children, 

171 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


nor  yet  the  quiet,  domestic  woman  who  had 
served  him  that  night  in  the  kitchen. 

There  was  an  indefinable  charm  about  her 
that  defied  definition  or  analysis  —  a  rapt, 
exquisite  look  that  lifted  her  up  —  up  to  his 
primitive  ideal. 

"Pen!" 

He  started  toward  her,  seemed  to  remem- 
ber, hesitated  and  then  asked  lamely: 

"What  have  you  been  doing  all  day?" 

Her  former  little  air  of  raillery  crept  back 
momentarily  at  his  change  of  tone. 

"  A  narrow  escape,"  she  thought,  as  she 
said  aloud,  reckless  of  consequences :  "  I 
motored  into  town  by  myself;  bought  some 
new  clothes;  had  dinner  with  an  old  friend; 
saw  an  areoplane  go  up  and  —  " 

He  smiled  in  a  bored  way  and  asked  her 
some  irrelevant  question. 

"  The  easiest  way  to  deceive,  as  Hebby 
always  said,  is  to  tell  the  truth,"  she  thought. 

"Pen!"  He  spoke  with  a  return  of  his 
first  manner.     "I  —  " 

172 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


"  I  am  very  tired,"  she  quickly  interrupted, 
"  I  think  I  will  say  good-night,  now." 

"  Don't  go  yet,"  he  urged,  "  I  — " 

"  I  want  to  be  alone,"  she  replied  wearily. 

"  There  is  something  I  want  to  say  to  you. 
Jo  Gary  comes  to-morrow !  " 

"  Yes,"  she  answered  indifferently.  "  Mr. 
Westcott  found  another  manager,  did  he?" 

"You  knew  Jo  was  at  Westcott's?"  he 
gasped. 

"  Certainly.  I've  seen  Jo  a  number  of 
times." 

"When,  where?"  he  demanded  in  dis- 
pleased tone. 

"  Let  me  think.  Why,  he  came  back  from 
Westcott's  the  day  after  my  arrival.  Their 
manager  postponed  departure.  So  Jo  was 
here  for  the  dance,  and  on  field  day  —  and 
—  I  think  he  went  back  to  Westcott's  the 
day  you  came  back.  Wasn't  it  all  right  to 
see  him?  "  she  asked  guilelessly.  "  Mrs.  King- 
don  didn't  object." 

"  What  other  times  did  you  see  him?  " 
173 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


"  I  heard  him  whistle  one  night,  and  I  slid 
down  the  big  tree  near  my  window.  Then 
he  came  one  morning  to  bring  me  flowers.  I 
am  glad  he  is  coming  for  keeps.  He  livens 
things  up,  Jo  does." 

"  Why  did  neither  you  nor  he  speak  of  your 
having  met?  " 

"  I  begged  him  not  to,  because  I  felt  that 
you  wouldn't  approve." 

An  intense  silence  followed. 

"Do  you  think,"  he  asked  bitterly,  "  that 
you  are  fair  to  Jo  —  " 

"  To  Jo?  "  she  asked  in  surprise.  "  I  don't 
understand." 

"  You  do  understand.  Jo  told  me  what  he 
asked  you  in  Chicago  and  how  you  left  him 
—  to  reform  —  to  be  worthy  of  his  love." 

"  I  haven't  deceived  Jo,"  she  replied  slow- 
ly. "  I  told  him  where  you  found  me  and 
why.  He  doesn't  care.  He  understands. 
Jo  loves  —  " 

The  pause  that  followed  was  so  prolonged 
that  she  stole  another  side-glance.    She  had  a 

174 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


sudden,  swift  insight  into  the  power  and  vigor 
of  the  man  —  the  inner  man. 

"That  the  girl  he  loves,"  she  continued 
softly,  "  is  a  thief,  makes  no  difference  to  Jo." 

"  Remember,  Jo  is  only  a  boy  —  younger 
than  you  in  all  but  years." 

"  Only  a  boy,  it  is  true,  but  with  the  faith 
and  love  of  a  man." 

He  started  from  his  chair  and  came  up 
close  to  her. 

"  Answer  me,"  he  said,  his  eyes  narrowing 
to  slits.     "  Do  you  love  Jo  Gary?  " 

A  sort  of  paralysis  seemed  to  grip  her,  and 
she  felt  helpless  to  move  her  eyes  from  his. 
Her  lips  were  slightly  parted  and  he  could  feel 
the  pull  of  her  nerves.  For  a  moment  she 
looked  like  a  startled  deer,  quivering  at  the 
approach  of  man,  with  no  place  to  run. 

Then  she  recovered. 

"  Ask  Jo,"  she  said  defiantly,  and  sped  from 
the  room. 

"Jo  didn't  tell  me  how  much  he  had  con- 
fided in  Kurt,"  she  thought.     "What  a  wee 

175 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


world  it  is!  I  can't  see  how,  with  all  the 
shuffling  billions  of  people,  the  same  two,  once 
parted,  should  ever  meet.  I  believe  I  was 
wrong  about  Kurt.  For  a  moment  I  was 
almost  afraid  of  him." 

Kurt  gazed  into  the  fire,  his  gray  eyes  alert 
and  a  soft  smile  on  his  lips.  He  had  not  been 
misled.  He  had  clearly  read  an  answer  in 
the  young  eyes  looking  into  his  own. 

"  She  doesn't  love  Jo,"  he  thought,  and 
the  knowledge  was  quickly  darkened  by  the 
remembrance  of  what  it  would  mean  to  the 
boy-lover. 


176 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


CHAPTER  X 

"  Jo ! "  called  Pen,  running  down  the  road 
as  she  spied  him  driving  away  in  a  light- 
weight mountain  wagon. 

Quickly  he  reined  in  the  pair  of  prancing 
horses. 

"What  'tis,  Miss  Penny  Ante?  Isn't  it 
great  that  I  am  back  to  stay?  " 

"  Indeed  it  is.  Where  are  you  going  and 
may  I  go,  too?  " 

"  Over  to  Westcott's,  and  I'd  love  to  have 
you  go  with  me." 

"  I'll  have  to  get  a  furlough  and  a  hat.  Just 
wait  a  moment." 

She  found  Kurt  and  asked  his  permission 
with  all  the  pretty  pleading  of  a  child  in  her 
voice.  Her  face  was  singularly  young;  her 
eyes  like  a  mirror. 

"  I've  never  ridden  in  a  wagon,"  she  said 
breathlessly,  seeing  that  his  expression  wasn't 

177 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


as  forbidding  as  usual.  "  And  I'll  come  back. 
Can't  you  see  I  want  to  come  back?  " 

Something  sweet  dawned  in  his  eyes. 

"  Yes ;  "  he  said,  a  note  of  exultation  sound- 
ing in  his  voice  with  the  knowledge  that  his 
last  stand  of  resistance  to  long-held  theories 
was  giving  away  before  some  new  force, 
powerful  and  overwhelming.  "  You  may  go. 
I  wish  I  were  driving  instead  of  Jo,  but  —  " 

He  stood  watching  her  as  she  sped  back  to 
where  Jo  was  waiting,  and  his  gaze  still  fol- 
lowed as  the  horses  tore  over  the  road  to 
Westcott's.  There  was  a  far-away  look  in 
his  eye  and  a  faint  smile  about  the  curves 
of  his  mouth.  Subconsciously,  as  though  he 
were  the  one  beside  her,  he  followed  in  fancy 
after  the  wagon  was  lost  to  sight  around  the 
hills.  He  could  see  the  point  where  the  road 
would  disappear  into  a  plain,  covered  with 
soft  grass  over  which  the  sleek  horses  would 
bound.  He  knew  Jo's  irresistible  bubbling 
gaiety,  and  the  sparkle  she  would  add  to  it. 
He  wondered  why  he  had  never  thought  to 

i78 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


take  her  for  a  drive.  There  had  been  no 
chance  to  talk  to  her  in  their  rides.  She 
always  put  spurs  to  her  horse  when  he  tried 
to  talk  to  her. 

All  sense  of  time  left  him.  The  symphony 
of  the  hill  winds  from  the  south  was  in  his 
ears;  the  beauty  of  the  day  in  all  his  being. 
Vividly  he  recalled  their  ride  in  the  early 
dawn  and  the  brief  moment  she  had  lain 
unconscious  in  his  arms.  Ever  since  that 
moment  he  had  barricaded  himself  against  her 
appeal  and  charm.  He  felt  himself  yielding 
and  knew  that  the  yielding  was  bringing  him 
happiness. 

"  I  am  in  a  Fool's  Paradise,"  he  thought, 
"  but  still  a  Paradise.  She  doesn't  care  for  me 
any  more  than  she  cares  for  Jo.  I  wonder 
does  he  know  it,  or  is  she  deceiving  him?  I 
fear  so,  for  he  seems  absurdly  happy." 

He  was  still  lost  in  the  dreams  of  the  lotus- 
eater  when  he  heard  something  that  resem- 
bled the  rattling  of  his  own  noisy  car.  Look- 
ing down  the  hill  road  from  town,  he  saw  a 

179 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


vehicle  approaching  which  he  recognized  as 
the  "  town  taxi."  It  turned  into  the  ranch 
grounds  and  he  quickly  went  to  the  front  of 
the  house,  supposing  that  Kingdon  or  his 
wife  must  have  returned. 

A  strange  young  girl  was  alighting.  As  he 
went  wonderingly  to  meet  her,  he  saw  that 
she  was  city-bred.  She  seemed  to  be  dazed 
by  the  illimitable  spaces  and  was  blinking 
from  the  sunshine.  His  observant  eye  noted 
the  smart  suitcase  and  the  wardrobe  trunk 
the  man  was  depositing  on  the  porch.  There 
was  city  shrewdness  in  having  had  the  amount 
of  the  fare  fixed  before  leaving  town. 

She  was  a  little  slip  of  a  girl  with  a  small- 
featured  face  and  a  certain  pale  prettiness. 
There  was  an  appealing  tinge  of  melancholy 
in  her  eyes  notwithstanding  they  were  eager 
and  alert.  Her  dress  was  plain,  but  natty 
and  citified. 

"Is  this  Top  Hill  —  where  Mrs.  Kingdon 
lives?"  she  asked  in  a  low,  softly-pitched 
voice. 

180 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


"Yes;"  he  replied,  "but  Mrs.  Kingdon  is 
away  —  " 

"  I  know  —  but  she  wrote  me  to  come  here ; 
that  she  would  be  home  very  soon.,, 

"  I  am  glad  to  hear  that.  Come  in,,,  he 
urged  hospitably,  as  he  picked  up  her  suit- 
case. "  The  housekeeper  will  make  you  com- 
fortable." 

She  hesitated. 

"  Is  Miss  Lamont  in  ?  " 

"Miss  Lamont  —  Miss  Pen  Lamont?"  he 
asked  in  surprise.  "  She  is  a  friend  of 
yours?" 

"Yes,"  she  replied  composedly. 

"  She  has  gone  for  a  drive,  but  she  will  be 
back  soon." 

She  followed  him  within  and  stood  gazing 
at  the  pleasant  interior,  —  books,  pictures, 
piano  and  fireplace,  while  he  went  to  summon 
the  housekeeper. 

"  Mrs.  Merlin,  this  is  a  friend  of  Mrs. 
Kingdoms,"  he  said  on  his  return.  "  Will 
you  show  her  to  one  of  the  guest  rooms?  " 

181 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


"  Oh ! "  exclaimed  the  girl  in  expostulary 
tone,  "  I  am  not  a  guest.  My  name  is  —  Bob- 
bie Burr.  Mrs.  Kingdon  hired  me  to  do  plain 
sewing  for  the  children  and  to  care  for  the 
linen.,, 

There  was  no  trace  of  a  seamstress  in  the 
plain  but  elegant  garb  and  appointments  of 
the  young  girl,  and  Mrs.  Merlin  was  at  a  loss 
as  to  the  proper  establishment  of  the  new- 
comer. 

"  Maybe,"  she  said  to  Kurt  hesitatingly, 
"  the  room  the  last  nursery  governess  had  —  " 

"  Any  room  will  do,"  said  the  girl  hurriedly, 
as  she  followed  Mrs.  Merlin. 

Kurt  went  down  the  road  which  Jo  and 
Pen  had  taken.  He  felt  the  need  of  a  pipe 
and  solitude  to  help  him  figure  out  this  puz- 
zling problem,  and  soon  he  was  sending  a  jet 
of  smoke  up  to  the  branches  of  the  tree  which 
he  had  selected  for  a  resting  place. 

Who  was  this  girl  whose  belongings  betok- 
ened money,  and  yet  who  said  she  had  come 
to  do  plain  sewing?    Enlightenment  came  with 

182 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


the  recollection  that  she  had  been  sent  by 
Mrs.  Kingdon  and  was  doubtless  one  of  her 
protegees.  The  name  she  had  given  sounded 
demimondish,  and  she  was  a  friend  of  Pen's! 
The  thought  made  him  wince.  She  had  seemed 
to  him  some  way  isolated  from  her  kind,  with 
naught  in  common  with  them  save  her  pro- 
fession. To  find  he  was  mistaken  brought 
him  an  unpleasant  shock. 

A  sound  of  wheels  around  the  curve;  the 
clatter  of  hoofs.  In  a  moment  they  came 
into  his  vision  —  the  prancing  team,  the  merry 
driver  and  —  the  thief.  Delicate  as  a  drop 
of  dew,  as  lovely  as  a  forest  blossom,  her 
voice,  bird-like  and  rippling,  wafted  to  him 
from  the  clear  aromatic  air,  she  inverted 
again  all  his  theories  and  resolutions. 

He  walked  toward  them,  his  hand  raised. 

Jo  reined  in. 

"  Will  you  get  out  and  walk  up  to  the  house 
with  me  ?  "  Kurt  asked  her,  the  question  given 
in  the  form  and  tone  of  command. 

"A  friend  of  yours  is  at  the  house,"  he 
183 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


said  abruptly,  when  Jo  had  driven  on  and 
was  outside  of  hearing. 

"  A  friend  of  mine !  "  she  repeated,  losing 
a  little  of  the  wild  rose  tint  in  her  fear  that 
Hebler  might  have  arrived. 

"  So  she  says.  Mrs.  Kingdon  sent  her 
here  to  sew  for  the  children." 

"  How  you  relieve  me !  I  was  fearing  it 
might  be  a  man." 

"  Her  name,"  he  said,  "  is  Bobbie  Burr." 

"  What !  "  Her  voice  had  a  startled  note. 
"Bobbie  Burr!     Oh,  yes;  I  remember  her." 

"Is  she  a  particular  friend  of  yours?" 

"  I  am  more  attracted  by  her  than  by  any 
girl  I  ever  knew.  Let's  sit  down  in  the  shade 
of  one  of  the  few-and-far-between  trees  you 
have  up  here.  You  were  interested  in  my  wel- 
fare when  you  took  me  from  Bender,  but  you 
will  be  doubly  interested  in  Bobbie  when  you 
hear  her  story.  She  is  a  convert  far  more 
worthy  of  your  efforts  and  those  of  Mrs. 
Kingdon  than  I  have  proved  to  be. 

"  She  is  the  type  you  thought  I  was  before 
184 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


you  snatched  me  from  the  burning  —  I  mean 
from  Bender.  Let  me  see  if  I  can  quote  you 
correctly :  i  One  of  the  many  young  city 
girls  who  go  wrong  because  they  have  no 
chance;  bred  in  slums,  ill-treated,  ill-fed.' 
Poor  Bobbie  had  no  chance  until  —  you'll  be 
skeptical  when  I  tell  you  how  she  first 
received  her  moral  uplift  —  she  had  some 
nice  clothes.  Stealing  was  her  only  vice! 
At  that,  she  only  took  enough  to  meet  her 
needs;  but  one  day  she  found  some  money; 
quite  a  lot,  it  seemed  to  her.  Down  in  her 
little  fluttering  fancy  she  had  always  had 
longings  for  a  white  dress  —  a  nice  white 
dress.  She  had  the  inherent  instinct  for 
judging  rightly  '  what  she  should  wear.'  So, 
for  the  first  time  in  her  life  she  was  able  to 
be  correctly  and  elegantly  clad.  The  white 
dress  she  bought  was  simple,  one  of  the  plain 
but  effective  and  expensive  kind.  With  the 
wearing  of  this  new  gown  there  naturally 
came  the  feminine  desire  to  be  seen  and 
admired.    She  didn't  know  where  to  go.    She 

185 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


had  never  been  a  frequenter  of  dance  halls. 
She  knew,  of  course,  there  were  few  open 
sesames  for  her.  She  went  to  one  where  no 
questions  are  asked  before  admittance.  Things 
didn't  look  good  to  her  at  this  Hurricane  Hall, 
and  she  thought  her  doll  was  filled  with  saw- 
dust until  the  inevitable  man  appeared  and 
changed  her  angle  of  vision.  He  was  that 
most  unusual  apparition,  a  nice,  honest  man. 
He  saw  her;  she  saw  him;  after  that  there 
were  no  others  visible  in  their  little  world. 

"Within  twenty- four  hours  he  had  told 
her  of  his  love  and  asked  her  to  marry  him. 
Then  —  I  tried  to  convince  you  thieves  could 
be  honest  —  she  was  brave  enough  to  tell 
him  what  she  was.  He  was  a  true  knight  and 
lover.  Her  confession  didn't  alter  his  feelings 
or  his  intentions;  in  fact,  his  determination 
to  marry  her  was  strengthened.  Because  she 
loved  him  very  much,  she  ran  away  from  him, 
leaving  him  in  a  strange  city  without  even 
her  name  for  a  clue.  But  now  she  had  a  hope, 
a  real  incentive  —  the  biggest  one  there  is. 

186 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


She  pawned  all  the  coveted  clothes  she  had 
bought  and  went  to  a  place  far  away  where 
she  could  begin  a  new  life  —  the  life  of  an 
honest  working-girl. 

"In  her  little  game  with  destiny,  she  lost 
out,  and  was  apprehended  for  a  theft  of  which 
she  was  entirely  innocent,  but  her  past  record 
barred  acquittal.  A  man  was  instrumental 
in  gaining  a  reprieve  for  her,  however,  and 
she  was  sent  away  to  new  environment  where 
she  found  friends,  health  and,  best  of  all,  a 
job. 

"  So  the  desire  was  born  in  her  to  turn 
the  proverbial  new  leaf,  not  for  the  sake  of 
winning  her  '  man/  but  from  the  simple  wish 
to  be  'good/  I  interested  Mrs.  Kingdon  in 
her  and  told  her  where  she  was,  but  did  not 
dream  of  such  good  luck  for  —  Bobbie  as  to 
be  sent  up  here.  I  know  she  will  find  happi- 
ness up  here  in  these  hills.  You'll  be  kind  to 
the  little  girl,  won't  you?  "  she  pleaded.  "  You 
know  you  haven't  much  mercy  for  sinners, 
but  you  will  see  she  is  serious  about  reform- 

187 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


ing;   not   flippant  like  me.     She  will   never 
yield  to  temptation  again.,, 

"How  do  you  know?"  he  asked,  looking 
at  her  keenly. 

"  Because,"  she  answered  softly.  "  She 
loves,  and  —  the  man  she  loves  is  worthy  of 
her." 

"  And  you  think  love  is  powerful  enough  to 
cure?" 

"  I  think  so." 

"  Would  it  cure  —  you?  " 

"I  don't  know,"  she  said  ingenuously. 
"You  see  I  have  never  loved." 

A  fervid  light  smouldered  in  his  eyes. 

"Aunty  Pen!" 

Francis  came  running  around  the  curve. 

"  There  is  a  nice  girl  at  the  house.  Mother 
sent  her.  She's  got  a  boy's  name  —  Bobbie. 
I  like  her.    She  does  anything  I  tell  her  to." 

"  That's  the  masculine  measure,"  she  said, 
taking  his  hand  and  running  on  with  him. 

"Come  back!"  was  the  strident  summons 
from  Kurt. 

188 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


"  Stay  here  a  moment,"  Pen  hurriedly  bade 
Francis. 

"  I  want  to  ask  you  how  this  girl  is  able  to 
have  such  expensive  looking  things  —  if  she 
has  only  a  job?  " 

"  They  were  given  to  her." 

"  By  the  man  who  was  instrumental  in 
getting  her  reprieved?  You  said  she  was 
virtuous." 

"  Don't  do  the  man  an  injustice,  even  if  you 
doubt  poor  little  Bobbie.  He  acted  from 
charitable  motives.  He  has  never  seen  her, 
or  tried  to  see  her." 

"Look  at  me,  Pen!" 

"  I'm  looking.  You  have  the  true  Western 
eye  —  the  eye  of  a  sharpshooter  and  a  — 
sheriff." 

"  The  story  you  just  told  me  is  the  story 
of  Marta  Sills.    Is  that  her  name  or  yours?  " 

"  It  belongs  to  us  both.  Being  '  particular 
pals/  we  shared  alike.  Interchange  of  names 
often  comes  handy  with  us." 

"  Was  it  you  or  Bobbie  Burr  —  the  girl  who 
189 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


just  came  —  whom  Jo  met  in  a  dance  hall, 
and  took  to  St.  —  some  place  on  Lake  Michi- 
gan?" 

"  Dear  me !  You  cattlemen  are  such  gay 
birds  when  you  come  to  a  city!  How  can  I 
tell  how  many  girls  Jo  Gary  took  to  a  dance 
hall?  If  that  St.  Something  was  St.  Joe,  he 
must  have  gone  there  to  get  married.  It's 
what  most  people  go  there  for,  and  probably 
he's  no  more  saintly  than  the  place  is.  Maybe 
it  was  named  after  him." 

"Tell  me!    Was  it  Bobbie  Burr ?  " 

"  She  never  mentioned  Jo  Gary's  name  to 
me,  so  how  do  I  know.  Yes,  Francis ;  coming." 

She  ran  fleetly  on  to  join  the  boy  who  was 
impatiently  calling  to  her. 

"Marta!  How  the  plot  does  thicken!" 
she  thought  as  she  ran  a  race  with  Francis 
to  the  house.  "  Now  we're  all  here  but  Hebby. 
What  next?  Curtain  soon,  I  expect.  No 
need  longer  for  understudies.  I  must  start 
things  before  Kurt  succumbs  to  her  charms. 
That  little  subdued,  clinging-vine  air  she  has 

190 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


is  most  appealing  to  his  type.     He'll  come  to 
forgive  her  any  thing.' ' 

"  Marta,"  she  said  quickly,  as  she  met  the 
young  girl,  "  come  upstairs  with  me." 

She  locked  the  door  as  soon  as  they  were 
in  her  room. 

"  Now  tell  me  all  about  yourself  and  every- 
thing that  has  happened  since  I  last  saw  you." 

Beaming  with  the  excitement  that  comes 
from  narrative  of  self,  the  new-comer  talked 
animatedly  for  some  time. 

"  And,"  she  concluded,  "  Mrs.  Kingdon  said 
you  told  her  all  about  me,  and  she  sent  me 
a  ticket  to  come  here.  And  it's  lovely  up 
here,  isn't  it?  She  told  me  I'd  better  keep 
to  the  name  of  Bobbie  Burr  for  the  present, 
until  she  came  anyway." 

"  I  should  say!  "  agreed  Pen.  "  Marta  Sills 
might  land  you  in  most  unpleasant  places. 
But,  Marta,  that  man  you  told  me  about, 
whose  name  you  didn't  mention?" 

"Yes,  Miss  Lamont.  I  try  not  to  think 
of  him." 

191 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


"  Marta,  why  did  you  tell  him  that  you  stole. 
You  could  have  married  him.  He'd  never 
have  known.  And  you  and  he  could  both  have 
been  happy." 

In  the  girl's  wondering  eyes,  Pen  read  a 
mute  rebuke. 

"  I'd  rather  lose  him  forever  than  deceive 
him!" 

"  Marta,"  said  Pen  impressively,  "  Diogenes 
should  have  known  you." 

"  Who  is  he,  Miss  Lamont?  " 

"  Never  mind,  Marta.  I  thought  I  knew 
what  love  meant,  but  I  see  I  didn't  until  now. 
If  I  loved  a  man  as  you  do  yours,  I  would 
stop  stealing  if  I  had  to  cut  my  hands  off 
to  do  it." 

"  I  have  stopped.  I  know  now  that  I  could 
have  stopped  long  ago,  if  any  one  had  given 
me  the  right  boost,  or  made  me  want  to  stop." 

Just  then  Pen's  eyes  caught  sight  of  a  trunk 
in  the  corner  of  her  room. 

"What's  that  here  for?"  she  asked. 

"  Oh,  please,  Miss  Lamont,  I  brought  it  to 
192 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


you.  I  never  touched  anything  in  it.  I  earned 
enough  to  buy  what  I  am  wearing  and  a  few 
things  in  my  suit  case,  besides  what  I  had  on 
that  day  —  " 

"  Marta,  that's  sweet  in  you.  I  am  begin- 
ning to  feel  I'd  like  to  tog  once  more.  I  shall 
reward  you.  But  first,  will  you  do  something 
for  me?  " 

"  You  know  I  will  be  glad  to  do  anything." 

"  I  want  a  note  delivered.  I'll  write  it 
now." 

Hastily  she  wrote  a  few  lines  at  her  desk. 

"  Come  with  me,  Marta.  We'll  have  to  go 
to  a  certain  vine-clad  pergola  by  devious 
routes  to  avoid  three  wise  children  and  one 
suspicious  and  formidable  foreman." 

By  much  circumambulation  the  two  girls 
reached  the  pergola  unseen. 

"  You  sit  here  for  a  few  moments,  Marta, 
and  the  person  to  whom  you  are  to  give  the 
note  will  come  to  you." 

Pen  walked  on  to  the  barracks  where  she 
met  Jo. 

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Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


"  Will  you  do  something  for  me,  Jo?  Right 
away,  quick  ?  " 

"  Sure  thing,  Miss  Penny  Ante.  What  did 
his  nibs  want?  " 

"  Never  mind,  now.  Go  to  the  pergola  and 
receive  a  note  from  me.  Now  don't  be  stupid. 
Do  as  you  are  told,  —  like  a  good  soldier 
does." 

With  a  laugh  Jo  started  in  swinging  gait 
for  the  place  indicated,  but  he  was  halted 
several  times  by  some  of  the  men  who  wanted 
directions  for  their  work. 

After  waiting  patiently,  Marta  concluded 
Pen's  plans  had  miscarried,  so  she  started 
for  the  house,  but  becoming  confused  as  to 
turns,  she  went  toward  the  barracks. 

To  a  little  girl  whose  life  had  been  spent  in 
slums  and  reformatories,  the  big  spaces  and 
silences  were  more  appalling  than  the  wildest 
hours  of  traffic  on  misguided  State  Street. 
She  had  a  strange  inclination  to  walk  down 
hill  backward  that  she  might  not  see  what 
other  ascension  must  be  made. 

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Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


"  If  Fd  only  been  born  as  high  up  as  this, 
maybe  Fd  never  have  got  down  so  low,"  she 
philosophized. 

She  came  around  a  bend  in  the  road.  A 
man  was  approaching.    He  looked  up. 

"  Marta,  oh,  Marta !  " 

"  Jo ! "  she  cried  wildly,  looking  about  for 
retreat. 

Another  second,  in  his  arms,  she  thought 
no  longer  of  flight. 

"  Marta,  how  did  you  ever  get  here  ? " 
Wild  astonishment  was  visible  in  Jo's  eyes. 

"  Mrs.  Kingdon  sent  for  me.  I've  been 
killed  with  kindness  ever  since  that  night  I 
saw  you,  Jo.  I  didn't  know  you  were  here. 
Miss  Lamont  told  me  to  stay  in  that  place 
where  the  vines  are  until  a  man  came,  and  to 
give  him  this  note;  but  that  was  long  ago.  I 
came  out  and  lost  my  way.  Are  you  the  man 
she  meant?  " 

"  I  must  be." 

"  Does  she  know  that  you  —  that  we  —  " 

"  Sure  she  knows.    Give  me  the  note." 
i95 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


He  removed  the  little  folded  paper  from 
the  envelope  and  read  it  aloud: 

"Dear  Jo:    Here  is  your  heart-ease.  Don't 
let  doubt  kill  your  love.    Just  take  Marta.    A 
woman  loves  an  audacious  lover. 
"  Yours, 

"  Penny  Ante/' 

"  I  feel  sort  of  crazy.  Gee,  Marta,  but  it's 
great  to  be  crazy!  Let's  sit  down  here  and 
talk  about  it.  You  don't  need  to  tell  me  much. 
She  told  me.  Why  didn't  you  let  me  hear 
from  you?  " 

"  I  wanted  to  be  sure,  Jo.  I'm  not  going 
to  make  excuses  for  myself,  but  I  had  it 
handed  to  me  hard.  Whenever  I  thought 
I'd  like  to  be  like  other  folks,  some  one  would 
give  me  a  shoveback,  and  then  I  felt  cornered 
and  that  it  was  no  use.  Sometimes  —  most 
always  —  I  was  down  and  out.  Then  I'd  hit 
a  little  lucky  wave  and  go  up.  It  was  one 
of  those  times  I  saw  you  in  that  dance  hall." 

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Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


"  That  was  my  lucky  wave.  I  can  see  you 
now  as  you  sat  away  from  the  rest  —  so  little 
and  so  different-looking  from  those  tough 
ones." 

"  And  I  can  see  you  -r-  alone,  by  yourself ; 
you  looked  different  from  anyone  I'd  ever 
seen,  so  healthy  and  jolly  and  kind.  I  saw 
you  looking  at  me  and  knew  right  off  what 
you  thought  —  that  I  was  straight  and  had 
got  in  the  wrong  place  by  mistake.  And  I 
let  you  think  so  and  let  you  get  to  know  me. 
And  we  danced  and  talked  till  near  sunrise. 
That  lovely  day  over  at  St.  Joe!  I  thought 
I  was  in  Heaven  until  we  were  in  that  little 
park  and  you  asked  me  to  marry  you.  First 
time  a  real  man  ever  asked  me  that.  I  wasn't 
low  enough  to  fool  you  then.  When  you  said 
it  made  no  difference,  I  knew  you  were  too 
good  for  me,  and  it  made  me  love  you  so  much 
that  I  had  to  run  away." 

"  It  was  sure  great  in  you  to  tell  me, 
Marta." 

"You  know  how  I  got  help  and  hope;  but 
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Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


I'm   not    Marta    now,   Jo.      Not    any   more. 
I'm  Bobbie  Burr." 

"You'll  always  be  Marta.  But  it  makes 
no  difference ;  you  '11  soon  be  changing  your 
name  for  keeps.  You  can't  ever  lose  me, 
now,  and  love  has  Mrs.  Kingdon  and  all  the 
rest  of  them  beat  for  what  you  call  reform- 
ing." 

"  If  I  had  only  known  long  ago  that  there 
were  folks  like  you  and  Mrs.  Kingdon  and  —  " 

"  Never  mind  long  ago.  There  's  nothing 
to  it.  Let 's  talk  about  the  little  shack  we 
are  going  to  put  up  in  these  hills  somewhere. 
Like  it?" 

"  It  seems  like  a  beautiful  dream  up  here, 
Jo.    Too  good  for  me." 

He  looked  down  into  the  kitten  face  with 
its  eyes  of  Irish  blue. 

"Nothing  in  the  world  is  too  good  for 
you,  my  Marta." 

"  Miss  Lamont  said  I  could  play  I  had  died 
and  been  born  again.  She  said  it  was  a  good 
way  to  turn  over  a  new  leaf." 

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Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


"  You  will  be  born  again  as  Mrs.  Jo  Gary." 

Time  went  very  swiftly  then,  and  it  was 
Marta  who  realized  Pen  might  be  expecting 
to  see  her. 

"  Please  start  me  in  the  right  direction, 
Jo." 

"  I'll  take  you  to  the  house  myself,"  said 
Jo  protectingly. 

As  they  came  around  a  curve  in  the  road 
that  wound  its  way  upward  and  downward, 
they  encountered  Kurt. 

"This  is  Miss  Sills,  Mr.  Walters,"  intro- 
duced Jo  proudly  —  "  the  little  girl  I  told  you 
about  when  I  came  from  Chicago.  We  are 
engaged." 

She  looked  up  a  little  fearfully  at  the  stern- 
looking  young  foreman.  She  was  surprised 
and  relieved  at  the  kindly  look  in  the  steel- 
gray  eyes.  He  took  one  of  her  little  hands 
in  his  strong  brown  ones.  He  was  ashamed 
that  his  instinct  told  him  it  was  the  typical 
hand  of  a  thief,  slim,  smooth  and  deft- 
fingered. 

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Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


"  Let  me  congratulate  you,  Jo,  and  you, 
too,  Marta.     Jo  is  my  friend." 

Tears  came  into  her  eyes  and  her  little 
mouth  puckered  pathetically. 

"  Say,  Kurt,  you  're  a  brick !  "  exclaimed 
Jo  heartily.  "  I  was  afraid  —  you  know  you 
said  —  " 

He  stopped  in  confusion. 

"  Forget  everything  I  said,  old  man.  I  was 
a  grouch  then  and  I  didn't  know  —  anything. 
I  know  better  now.  But  Marta,  why  did  you 
tell  me  your  name  was  Bobbie  Burr." 

"  Mrs.  Kingdon  told  me  to  use  that  name 
until  —  " 

"  Until  she  has  her  right  name,  Marta 
Gary,"  finished  Jo. 

Kurt  smiled  condoningly. 

"  Mrs.  Kingdon  always  knows  what  is 
best." 

"  That  is  what  Miss  Lamont  said.  She  said 
that  with  Jo  to  love  me  and  Mrs.  Kingdon  to 
advise  me  I  couldn't  help  but  be  —  what  I 
want  to  be." 

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Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


"Did  she  say  that?"  he  asked  eagerly,  a 
light  in  his  eyes.     "  She  was  right." 

"  She  left  out  her  help.  It  was  Jo  that  first 
made  me  want  to  be  straight,  but  it  was 
Miss  Lamont  who  gave  me  the  chance.  Isn't 
she  grand,  Mr.  Walters?  She  has  such  a 
kind  heart." 

"  Will  you  tell  me  something  about  her, 
Marta?     Is  —  " 

He  stopped  abruptly.  It  wouldn't  be  just 
the  right  thing  to  cross-examine  this  little 
girl  about  her  "  particular  pal." 

"  I'll  see  you  again,  soon,"  he  said,  and 
went  on  to  the  garage. 

The  sound  of  Jo's  jolly  laugh  with  the 
little  added  tender  note  made  him  turn  and 
look  after  them.  They  had  stopped  on  their 
way  and  were  looking  into  each  other's  eyes, 
oblivious  to  all  else  but  the  happiness  to  be 
found  in  the  kingdom  of  love  and  youth. 

Silhouetted  on  the  crest  of  the  hill  they 
stood  —  Jo,  lean,  long  and  picturesque  in  his 
rough  clothes;  Marta,  neat  and  natty  from 

20 1 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


her  little  pumps  to  her  shining  yellow  hair 
smoothed  back  over  her  forehead. 

With  the  feeling  that  he  also  was  initiated 
into  the  Great  Brotherhood  and  had  recog- 
nized the  tokens  of  membership,  he  went 
about  his  tasks,  seeing  a  vision  of  a  girl  with 
a  sweetness  in  her  eyes  that  often  belied  the 
bantering  of  her  tone. 

When  he  came  up  to  dinner,  Pen's  place 
was  vacant. 

"  Bobbie  won't  eat  with  us,"  explained 
Francis.  "  Nora  didn't,  you  know.  Aunt 
Pen  thought  she  might  be  lonesome  eating  her 
first  meal  all  alone,  so  they  are  having  their 
dinner  together." 

Marta's  words,  "  she  has  such  a  kind 
heart,"  came  back  to  him. 

"  She  is  right,"  he  said.     "  Marta  knows." 

And  suddenly  there  was  born  in  him  a 
deep  compassion  for  all  women  of  her  kind. 
In  vain  he  waited  for  Pen  in  the  library 
that  night.  But,  feeling  she  was  in  deep 
waters,  Pen  had  resolved  to  stay  in  her  room. 

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Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


CHAPTER  XI 

Outside  her  door  Pen  found  Betty  waiting 
expectantly. 

"  Bobbie  gave  us  a  nickel  apiece  not  to  dis- 
turb you,"  she  began  glibly.  "  She  said  you 
had  a  headache  last  night.  And  father's 
come  home  and  brought  a  man  with  him.  And 
mother's  coming  soon." 

Pen  found  herself  only  languidly  inter- 
ested in  these  announcements.  She  listened 
distraitly  to  the  prattle  of  the  children  who 
surrounded  her  while  she  was  served  with 
toast  and  coffee. 

"  Father  and  the  man  are  motoring  around 
the  ranch,"  said  Francis,  "  but  they  will  be 
back  to  lunch." 

This  roused  her  to  the  extent  of  making  a 
more  elaborate  toilet  than  usual.  She  came 
into  the  library  shortly  before  the  luncheon 
hour,  clad  in  one  of  the  gowns  she  had  taken 

203 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


from  the  trunk  Marta  had  brought,  her  hair 
done  with  exquisite  care. 

"Why,  Aunty  Pen!"  cried  Betty.  "You 
look  so  different.     You  look  grown  up." 

"  I  am,  Betty,"  she  said  gravely. 

"  Miss  Pen !  "  exclaimed  Kingdon,  coming 
forward.  "  Our  hills  have  gotten  in  their 
curative  powers  speedily.  I  was  afraid  you 
were  of  the  lily  family,  but  I  see  you  are  a 
bud  of  the  rose." 

While  she  was  replying  to  his  banter,  Kurt 
came  into  the  room.  She  felt  a  little  femi- 
nine thrill  of  pleasure  in  his  look  of  unspoken 
admiration. 

"  I  left  my  guest,  Mr.  Hebler,  down  at 
the  stables,"  continued  Kingdon.  "  Billy,  run 
down  and  tell  him  it  is  nearly  time  for  lunch- 
eon. I  made  a  new  acquaintance  while  I  was 
away,"  he  explained  to  Pen.  "  Bruce  Hebler. 
I  persuaded  him  to  stop  off  on  his  way  out  to 
California." 

Pen's  eyes  dilated  slightly,  and  the  color 
left  her  face,  as  she  made  some  excuse  for 

204 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


leaving  the  room.     Kurt  followed,  intercept- 
ing her  in  the  hall-way. 

"  This  Hebler  is  some  one  you  have  met 
before  ?  "  he  asked,  looking  at  her  keenly. 

"  Yes ;  did  I  show  it  so  plainly  ?  I  don't 
want  to  see  him,  or  let  him  know  I  am  here." 

"  You  are  afraid  of  him?  " 

"  Y-e-s." 

"  He  has  some  power  over  you  —  the  power 
to  take  you  away?  " 

"  Yes ;  a  power  prior  to  yours." 

"A  legal  one?" 

"  Yes." 

"  You  can  keep  to  your  room,"  he  said 
reassuringly.  "  That  is,  for  the  afternoon. 
Westcott  has  invited  Mr.  Kingdon  and  this 
man  to  dinner  and  for  cards  afterward. 
You  can  easily  stay  away  from  the  breakfast 
room  in  the  morning.  I  think  he  is  going  to 
leave  in  a  day  or  so.  Til  think  up  some 
excuse  for  your  not  appearing." 

"  Oh !  "  she  said  whimsically.  "  You  will 
—  lie  for  me?" 

205 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


He  flushed. 

"  I  want  Mrs.  Kingdon  to  be  your  custo- 
dian—  not  this  man." 

"  So  do  I,"  she  said.  "  But  I  forget  I  am 
in  custody  up  here." 

"  I  am  wondering,"  he  said  in  a  troubled 
tone,  "  how  we  can  prevent  the  children 
from  speaking  of  you  before  this  man?  And 
Kingdon,  too,  is  sure  to  mention  your  name." 

"  Oh,  that  will  do  no  harm.  He  won't 
know  whom  they  mean.  He  doesn't  know  me 
by  my  own  name.  I  told  you  I  had  a  great 
many  convenient  aliases.     Remember?" 

"  Yes,"  he  replied  shortly.     "  I  remember." 

She  went  to  her  room,  and  presently  Marta 
came  in  with  her  luncheon,  some  books  and 
a  message  of  sympathy  from  Kingdon.  In 
spite  of  these  distractions,  time  dragged  and 
it  was  with  a  sigh  of  relief  that  she  saw 
Kingdon  and  his  guest  motoring  toward 
Westcott's. 

"  iPoor  old  Hebby !  Just  as  hawk-nosed 
and  lynx-eyed  as  ever.     The  last  place  he'd 

206 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


think  of  looking  for  me  would  be  behind 
these  curtains.  It's  worth  being  a  prisoner 
for  an  afternoon  to  know  I  have  eluded  him 
once  more." 

When  she  came  down  to  dinner,  Kurt  was 
again  visibly  impressed  by  her  appearance. 
She  wore  another  of  her  recently  acquired 
gowns,  a  black  one  of  sheer  filmy  material. 
Her  hair,  rippling  back  from  her  brows,  was 
coiled  low.  Her  face  was  pale  and  yet  young 
and  flowerlike.  There  was  a  new  touch  of 
wistfulness  about  her  —  a  charm  of  repose, 
almost  of  dignity. 

Later,  when  the  children  had  gone  up- 
stairs, she  went  into  the  dimly  lighted  sit- 
ting-room and  sat  down  at  the  piano,  touch- 
ing softly  and  lightly  the  notes  of  a  minor 
melody,  an  erratic  little  air  rising  and  fall- 
ing in  a  succession  of  harmonies. 

"Pen!" 

She  turned  exquisite  eyes  to  Kurt's  ardent 
gaze. 

"  I  like  you  in  this  dress.  I  didn't  know 
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Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


dress  could  so  alter  a  person."  There  was 
the  tone  of  unrepressed  admiration  in  his 
voice. 

"  Hebby  is  right,"  she  thought  with  a 
fleeting  smile.  "  He  said  there  was  some- 
thing very  effective  about  black  to  men  — 
especially  to  men  who  know  nothing  about 
clothes." 

"  I  must  ask  you  something,"  he  continued, 
speaking  in  troubled  tone.  "  This  man  Heb- 
ler  —  does  he  know  —  " 

She  stopped  playing. 

"  He  knows  me  as  you  know  me,  as  the 
thief,  and  he  knows  —  something  else  about 
me." 

Her  fingers  again  found  their  way  to  the 
keys. 

Reluctantly  he  found  himself  succumbing 
to  the  witchery  of  her  plaintive  tone  and 
her  quivering  lips.  Then  he  rallied  and  said 
relentlessly. 

"Something  worse?" 

"Is  there  anything  worse  than  stealing?" 
she  asked  artlessly.     "  His  acquaintance  with 

208 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


me  is  not  exactly  of  a  personal  nature.  He 
admits  but  one  of  my  shortcomings  —  that 
he  never  knows  where  to  find  me  —  literally. 
He'd  think  so  more  than  ever  if  he  could 
see  me  now." 

"  Does  he  love  you?  " 

She  stopped  playing,  rose  from  the  piano 
bench  and  with  an  odd  little  laugh,  crossed 
the  room  to  the  window  seat.     He  followed. 

"Hebby  love  me?  Well,  no!  There  have 
been  times  when  I  think  he  positively  hated 
me.  But  I  wish  he  hadn't  come.  He  brings 
up  —  unpleasant  memories." 

"  Then  let's  talk  of  something  pleasant  — 
very  pleasant.  About  Marta,  Jo's  Marta.  I 
met  them  together  yesterday.  I  had  my 
answer  to  the  question  I  asked  you." 

"  They  are  very  happy,"  she  said  wist- 
fully.    "  I  am  so  glad." 

"  Pen,  why  did  you  make  me  think,  that 
first  day  I  met  you,  that  it  was  you  Jo  met 
and  loved  in  Chicago?" 

"  Did  I  make  you  think  so?  You  assumed 
209 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


I  was  the  one  and  I  —  well,  I  wouldn't  have 
presumed  to  dispute  the  assertion  of  any- 
one in  a  sheriff  line.     It's  safer  not." 

"  You  asked  me  not  to  be  hard  on  little 
Marta.  Who  could  be?  Not  even  the  man 
you  seem  to  think  me  to  be.  I'll  do  all  in 
my  power  to  help  them  to  build  a  little  home 
in  the  hills.     And  she  does  love  him." 

"  Yes,"  she  said  softly.     "  She  does." 

He  looked  at  her  with  a  little  ache  in  his 
throat.  The  moonlight  was  full  on  her  partly 
averted  face;  her  profile,  clear-cut,  delicate, 
was  like  a  medallion. 

"  Pen  —  could  you  love  me?  " 

The  words  seemed  wrung  from  him  in 
spite  of  an  apparent  determination  not  to 
utter  them. 

She  turned  and  looked  straight  into  his 
eyes. 

"  That  isn't  what  you  should  ask  me,  unless 
you  —  " 

"  I  do,"  he  said  passionately. 

"  You  didn't  —  want  to." 
210 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


"No;  frankly,  I  didn't  want  to;  but  I  did 
—  I  do." 

"Why?"  she  asked  curiously,  watching 
the  fine  little  lines  about  his  eyes  deepen. 

"  I've  been  fighting  it  since  I  met  you  — 
because  —  " 

"  Because  I  am  a  thief/'  she  finished 
unconcernedly.  "  Do  you  remember  that 
night  when  we  were  here  alone  —  you  started 
to  tell  me  you  loved  me,  didn't  you  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  he  admitted  slowly. 

"  Then  you  remembered  what  I  was,  and 
your  love  wasn't  big  enough  to  let  you 
finish." 

"  That  wasn't  the  reason  I  hesitated,"  he 
said  quickly,  "  then  or  —  other  times.  The 
reason  I  didn't  yield  to  my  desire  was 
because  I  knew  it  wouldn't  be  fair  to  Jo. 
Remember,  I  thought  until  Marta  came  that 
you  were  his." 

She  looked  her  discomfiture. 

"  I  forgot  that,"  she  said  in  a  low  sympa- 
thetic tone. 

211 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


"  No ;  "  he  resumed  meditatively.  "  You 
don't  know  what  a  man's  love  is." 

"A  man's  love,"  she  replied,  a  slight  catch 
in  her  voice,  "  is  infinitesimal  compared  to  a 
woman's." 

"  Let  me  show  you,  Pen.  You  shall  love 
me!     We'll  go  far  away  from  here  — " 

"  You're  ashamed  of  me !  Jo  wouldn't 
ask  Marta  to  go  far  away.  Your's  is  a  little 
love  —  a  love  that  doesn't  dare  venture  on 
an  uncharted  sea." 

"  Pen,"  he  said  tensely,  "  I  tell  you  that  I 
love  you!     Don't  you  understand?" 

He  put  his  arm  about  her  —  bent  down. 

There  was  a  quiet  reproach  in  her  star- 
like eyes  as  she  drew  away. 

"Pen,  will  you  be  my  wife?" 

She  put  her  hand  to  her  forehead  with 
an  odd  little  motion.  Her  paleness  became 
a  pallor. 

"  You  ask  me  that  —  you  would  —  " 

"Yes,  I  would.  I  did  fight  it.  I  didn't 
really  know  you  until  to-night.     You've  been 

212 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


unreadable.  Now  I  feel  you  are  your  real 
self.  Not  the  daredevil  who  defied  me  and 
mocked  me.  Not  the  little  meek  mouse  on 
the  hearth.  I  love  the  woman  you  are  to- 
night." 

"  Am  I  like  her  —  the  best  woman  in  the 
world?"  she  whispered. 

"  Yes,"  he  cried  triumphantly.  "  And  you 
will  grow  more  and  more  like  her  —  the  type 
of  woman  I  want  you  to  be.  Don't  you  care 
for  me  —  a  little,  Pen?" 

Again  his  arm  was  about  her.  She  turned 
to  meet  his  eyes,  deep-set  —  intense  —  burn- 
ing. 

"Kurt  — I  —  " 

A  little  wave  of  doubt,  of  contrition,  stole 
over  her. 

"I  don't  love  you,"  she  said  uncomfort- 
ably. 

"Don't  you  want  to  love  me,  Pen?" 

"No!" 

She  rose  impulsively,  and  there  were  tears 
in  her  eyes,  though  there  was  a  half  wistful 

213 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


smile  on  her  lips,  as  she  passed  him  swiftly 
and  fled  toward  the  stairway. 

He  followed. 

\  You  mustn't  leave  me,  this  way. 
Pen  —  " 

For  a  shining  second  she  leaned  against 
him. 

"  I  must.  I  can't  tell  you  now.  I'll  think 
it  over.  You  surely  want  me  to  be  honest 
with  you !  " 

In  the  upper  hall  she  passed  the  open  door 
of  Hebler's  room.  There  were  no  inner 
lights,  but  the  shafts  of  a  moonbeam  shone 
straight  upon  an  article  lying  on  a  small 
table  near  the  door,  finding  response  in 
glimmering  gleams. 

She  stopped,  electrified. 

"Oh!" 

Fascinated  by  the  sparkle,  she  lingered 
for  a  moment,  and  then  went  quickly  to  her 
room  and  straight  to  the  window  that  looked 
on  the  moonlit  hills.  She  stayed  there 
awhilC;  her  hands  clenched,  thinking  intensely 

214 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


and  rapidly  —  of  Larry  soaring  like  an 
eagle,  proud  and  secure  in  his  conquering 
of  the  air  —  of  Marta's  sudden  severance 
from  the  habit  of  a  lifetime  —  of  Jo's  faith 
in  her  —  of  Kurt  wrestling  with  his  conflict 
between  love  and  conventions.  "  Does  he 
care,  really,  as  much  as  he  thinks  he  does," 
she  wondered,  "or  is  it  just  the  lure  of  — 
propinquity?  How  shall  I  find  out?  Oh, 
there  is  too  much  on  my  mind!  How  care- 
less and  how  like  Hebby  to  leave  his  price- 
less ring  about.  What  would  he  think  if  he 
knew  the  thief  was  next  door  to  it  ?  " 

She  left  the  window  and  went  to  the  door. 


The  ring  still  sent  forth  shafts  of  sparkles. 

A*  figure  came  stealthily  out  into  the  hall, 
paused  near  the  open  door.  A  hand  reached 
quickly  out  and  closed  over  the  ring. 


215 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


CHAPTER  XII 

"Have  we  a  new  maid,  Kurt?"  asked 
Kingdon  at  the  breakfast  table  next  morn- 
ing. "  I  had  a  glimpse  of  a  pretty  little  girl 
talking  to  Agatha." 

"  Mrs.  Kingdon  sent  her  here  to  do  the 
sewing  and  look  after  the  children,"  explained 
Kurt. 

"  And  she's  got  a  funny  name,"  said 
Francis.     "  Her  name  is  Bobbie  Burr." 

Hebler's  fork  fell  with  a  clatter. 

"  Bobbie  Burr ! "  he  exclaimed  in  amaze- 
ment. 

"  Bobbie  Burr !  "  echoed  Kingdon. 

"Where  is  she?  Let  me  see  her  at  once. 
She's  the  very  person  I  am  looking  for ! " 

"  I'll  go  and  get  her,"  offered  Billy,  run- 
ning from  the  room. 

He  returned  in  a  few  moments  followed 
by  Marta. 

216 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


"  Oh,  you  aren't  Bobbie  Burr !  "  said  Heb- 
ler,  visibly  disappointed. 

"No,  sir,"  said  Marta.  "I  just  took  the 
name  because  I  liked  it.  My  name  is  really 
Marta  Sills.,, 

"  But  it  won't  be  that  long,"  reminded 
Betty.  "  You're  going  to  have  another  name 
soon.    Jo  Gary  told  me  so." 

"  Oh,  ho  I  "  laughed  Kingdon  comprehend- 
ingly,  while  Marta  fled  in  confusion. 

"  J°,s  g°'mg  to  take  her  with  him  to  West- 
cott's  this  morning,"  said  Francis.  "They're 
going  to  drive  over  in  the  buckboard.  I 
think  they  are  engaged." 

"  He  hasn't  given  her  a  diamond  ring," 
said  Betty.  "  Every  girl  who  is  engaged 
wears  a  diamond  ring.     Doris  told  me  so." 

"  Speaking  of  diamond  rings,"  said  Heb- 
ler,  as  they  all  rose  from  the  table,  "  reminds 
me  that  I  very  carelessly  left  mine  on  a  table 
yesterday  and  I  forgot  to  put  it  away,  or  to 
even  see  if  it  were  there  this  morning." 

"It  will  be  all  right,"  assured  Kingdon. 
217 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


"  Every  one  in  the  hill  country  is  honest." 

"  Still  you'd  better  put  it  away,"  cau- 
tioned Kurt  anxiously. 

"  All  right,"  said  Hebler,  leaving  the  room. 

"  Don't  forget  we  want  an  early  start  for 
town,"  Kingdon  called  after  him.  "  I'll  go 
out  and  look  over  my  car." 

Kurt  followed  him,  but  lingered  on  the 
veranda  to  light  his  pipe.  While  he  stood 
there,  Jo  and  Marta  drove  past  at  a  smart 
pace.  A  few  moments  later  Hebler  came 
to  him  in  great  consternation. 

"  Walters,  that  ring  I  was  speaking  of  is 
gone!     I've  made  a  thorough  search  for  it." 

When  he  had  assured  Kurt  that  there  could 
be  no  mistake  as  to  having  left  it  on  his  table 
before  he  started  for  Westcott's,  the  fore- 
man said  earnestly: 

"I  am  quite  sure  that  I  can  secure  your 
ring  for  you,  Mr.  Hebler.  I  should  like  to 
settle  this  matter  quietly,  though;  so  please 
say  nothing  about  it  to  anyone  until  I  have 
investigated." 

218 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


"  Certainly,"  agreed  Hebler.  "  I'll  go  on 
to  town  with  Kingdon  now,  and  you  can  be 
looking  about  for  it." 

Kurt  hastened  upstairs  and  knocked  at 
Pen's  door. 

"  Hebler  has  missed  his  ring  —  a  very 
valuable  diamond,  he  tells  me,"  he  said 
abruptly,  as  she  came  out. 

"Oh!"  she  gasped,  turning  pale  and 
trembling  slightly. 

"  He  left  it  on  his  table  near  the  door  and 
just  thought  of  looking  for  it.  I  told  him 
not  to  mention  it  for  the  present  and  Fd 
deliver  the  goods.  Marta  has  gone  away 
with  Jo;  evidently  she  intends  to  skip.  She'll 
not  get  away  with  this.  I  am  going  after 
them  in  the  car.  I  shall  turn  her  over  to 
the  authorities.  You  can  pack  her  things 
and  send  them  after  her." 

"  Oh,  wait !  "  she  cried,  as  he  started  to  go 
down  stairs.     "  It  wasn't  Marta.     It  was  I." 

"  What !  "  he  cried  incredulously.    "  You !  " 

"  Yes." 

219 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


"When  did  you  take  it?" 

"  On  my  way  to  bed  last  night  after  I  left 
you.  His  door  was  open  —  the  ring  on  a 
table  near  by  —  in  easy  reach.  He  shouldn't 
have  left  anything  like  that  around  loose." 

"  I  never  dreamed  of  your  taking  it," 
he  said  bitterly.  "  I  thought  you  had 
reformed." 

She  laughed,  a  little  reckless  laugh  that 
had  a  sound  like  silver  bells. 

"  I  don't  like  that  ring  either.    It's  gaudy." 

He  looked  at  her  with  a  new  thought  and 
hope. 

"Are  you  a  kleptomaniac?" 

"I  should  think  not!  I  never  take  any- 
thing unless  it  is  of  some  value  or  use." 

"  Didn't  it  occur  to  you  that  you  might  be 
suspected  and  caught  with  the  goods  ?  " 

"No;  I  thought  I  knew  Hebby  and  that 
he  was  too  much  of  a  good  fellow  to  report 
a  loss  at  first  blink.  Sort  of  banal,  you  know. 
You  don't  know  much  of  human  nature  to 
suppose  a  thief  could  undergo  such  a  sudden 

220 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


reformation.  There  are  no  modern  miracles 
like  that.  Marta  is  the  only  one  I  knew  who 
could  change.  But  she  isn't  a  born  thief.  I 
really  was  trying  to  be  good;  but  I  suppose 
I  will  slip  and  fall  countless  times  —  like  a 
drunkard/' 

"This  is  the  first  time  since  you  came 
here?" 

"  Absolutely ;  but  to  be  honest,  thieves 
don't  always  lie  —  I've  not  been  so  strongly 
tempted  before.,, 

"And  you  could  do  it  then  —  right 
after  —  "  ' 

"  After  you  had  done  me  the  great  and 
regretted  honor?  Well,  I  didn't  yield  all 
at  once.  I  walked  right  past  it  with  the 
'  Get  thee  behind  me '  pose  and  closed  my 
door  and  went  to  the  window  and  —  looked 
up  at  the  hills  and  then  —  something  stronger 
than  all  my  resolutions  carried  me  back  to 
look  at  it  once  more.     It  was  all  off." 

Anger  and  something  else  battled  in  his 
face. 

221 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


"Why,"  she  asked  curiously,  "did  you 
suspect  Marta  instead  of  me  ?  " 

"  I  don't  know,"  he  said  spiritlessly. 

"You  see  Marta  has  an  incentive  to  keep 
her  straight  —  an  incentive  that  I  lack." 

He  winced. 

"  Have  you,"  she  asked  cynically,  "  always 
been  so  straight  that  you  don't  know  what 
temptation  means?  Have  you  never  wanted 
anything  so  much  that  you  —  " 

"That  I  wanted  to  steal?  No;  not  even 
to  steal  your  affections  when  I  thought  they 
belonged  to  Jo.  I  will  spare  you  exposure. 
When  I  return  the  ring  to  Hebler  I  will  tell 
him  it  was  found  on  the  floor  by  a  servant." 

"  Thank  you,"  she  said  meekly.  "  If  he 
knew  I  were  here,  he'd  know  who  the  '  ser- 
vant '  was.  What  do  you  propose  to  do  with 
me  now?  Return  the  goods  to  Bender,  or 
squeal  on  me  to  Hebby?" 

"  I  don't  know  until  I  have  talked  it  over 
with  Mrs.  Kingdon." 

"  That  is  very  considerate  and  fair  in  you," 
222 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


she  commended.  "  Some  way  I  feel  confident 
she  will  think  I  should  have  another  chance. 
You  owe  me  something.  '  Kind  Kurt/  "  she 
continued  lightly,  with  a  return  of  the  flip- 
pancy that  had  so  jarred  him  on  their  first 
meeting,  "  suppose  I  had  been  weak  enough 
to  accept  your  proposal  last  night?  I  knew 
my  lapses  too  well  and  was  too  considerate 
of  your  happiness  to  say  'yes/  Suppose  I 
had.  Would  your  sense  of  honor  have  been 
equal  to  the  sacrifice  of  keeping  faith  with 
me?  No;  I  see  by  your  face  it  would  not 
have  been.  So  you  see  your  love  —  your 
man's  love,  isn't  great  enough  for  even  a 
thief  to  consider." 

"  Give  me  the  ring/'  he  said  coldly. 

"  No ;  I  prefer  to  return  it  myself.  I'll 
take  my  chances  with  Hebby.  Even  he  isn't 
as  merciless  as  you.  And  as  I  said,  his  claim 
is  prior  to  yours.  I  never  expected  to  take 
refuge  with  Hebby!     Where  is  he  now?" 

"  He  has  gone  to  the  garage.  Wait!  You 
shall  not  go." 

223 
\ 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


He  put  out  a  detaining  arm,  under  which 
she  ducked  and  fled  nimbly  down  the  stairs 
and  out  to  the  door.  She  heard  him  pursuing, 
but  she  jumped  on  Francis'  wheel  which 
stood  near  and  was  soon  coasting  down  the 
driveway  to  the  garage. 

"Hebby!  Oh  — oh,  Hebby!"  she  called 
to  the  man  sauntering  at  some  distance  ahead 
of  her. 

"  The  thief ! "  he  exclaimed  as  she  came 
up  to  him  and  dismounted.  "  So,  at  last  I've 
found  you ! " 

"Found  me!  Well,  I  like  that!  Here  I 
come  chasing  after  you  and  doing  the  finding 
myself.  Really  lost  your  ring  this  time, 
Hebby  ?  Didn't  seem  like  your  '  code '  to 
mention  your  loss  to  so  new  an  acquaintance. 
Sort  of  a  breach,  wasn't  it?" 

He  flushed  shamefacedly,  but  his  discom- 
fiture, short-lived,  was  succeeded  by  a  broad 
grin. 

"  Then  it  was  you  who  took  it!  That  tall, 
solemn  guy  seemed  to  think  he  could  recover 

224 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


it,  but  I  am  more  delighted  at  recovering 
you  than  a  hundred  rings." 

"May   I  keep  it,   Hebby?" 

"  You  always  said  you  detested  that  ring 
—  that  it  was  very  parvenu  and  so  forth. 
But  what  are  you  doing  up  here,  and  how 
did  you  get  in  with  these  folks?" 

"  Can't  a  thief  break  in  anywhere  ?  It's 
far  more  surprising  how  you  got  in." 

"  You'll  not  escape  me  again.  You'll  go 
with  me  when  I  leave." 

"Thank  you,  Hebby.  I'm  through  here. 
Will  you  do  me  a  favor  ?  " 

"  You  don't  deserve  favors." 

"You  never  did  favor  the  deserving,  you 
know.  Will  you  tell  the  ■  tall,  solemn  guy ' 
that  you  have  your  ring  all  right?  I'll  see 
you  get  it.  I  haven't  it  on  me.  But  this  is 
the  real  favor.  No  one  here,  except  Mrs. 
Kingdon  and  one  of  the  men  on  the  place, 
knows  very  much  about  my  chequered  career 
and  they  only  know  me  by  my  baptismal 
name." 


225 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


"  Which  I'm  not  sure  that  I  know,  Meg. 
You  have  so  many  names." 

"  I  took  my  own  as  a  perfect  disguise. 
It's  Penelope  Lament." 

"  Fine  name.  Til  make  a  note  of  it  for 
future  use.  Til  keep  your  secret  if  you'll 
not  try  to  run  away  again.  You  haven't  told 
me  how  you  came  here." 

"  I  was  —  apprehended.  But  I  am  not 
on  a  thief's  errand.  It's  for  a  reason  apart 
from  my  other  life.  You  know,  Hebby, 
thieves  do  have  a  code  of  honor." 

"  You  are  the  one  and  only  thief !  I  take 
off  my  hat  to  you.  Say,  how  did  that  tall 
guy  know  you  had  it  ?  " 

"  He  didn't.  He  suspected  someone  else. 
You  can  have  it  back,  Hebby.  It's  so  garish 
it  puts  my  eyes  out.  I  didn't  want  it.  I 
just  wanted  to  steal  it." 

"  Ruling  passion,  Meg." 

"No;  you're  way  off.  Here  comes  the 
'  solemn  guy/  Tell  him  I  found  it  and 
returned  it  to  you." 

226 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


Just  then  Kingdon  drove  around  the  curve. 

"  Glad  to  see  you  again,  Miss  Pen.  I 
thought  you  had  forsaken  us.  I  see  youVe 
made,  Mr.  Hebler's  acquaintance.  But  I 
must  take  him  away  from  you  for  a  while." 

As  Hebler  got  into  the  car,  Kurt  came  up. 

"  Oh,  Mr.  Walters,  I'm  happy  to  say  I 
have  my  ring.  Meg  —  Miss  Lamont  saw  it 
and  took  it  for  a  joke  on  me.  Sorry  I  men- 
tioned it." 

A  little  wave  of  remorse  swept  over  Pen 
for  a  second  as  she  turned  to  Kurt  and  saw 
the  look  in  his  eyes  when  the  two  men  had 
driven  off. 

"  He  seemed  to  have  an  air  of  proprietor- 
ship," he  said  jealously.  "  Has  he  really  a 
legal  right  to  take  you  away?" 

"  Looks  that  way.  Mrs.  Kingdon  thought 
so.  I  never  could  get  legal  stuff  through  my 
head.  It  was  for'an  offense  committed  long 
ago,  but  not  outlawed.  There  is  something 
I  want  to  say  to  you.  Last  night  you  asked 
me  to  marry  you.     Don't  look  so  afraid  of 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


the  cars!  I  am  not  going  to  sue  you  for 
breach  of  promise.  I  wouldn't  marry  the 
grandest  man  living  unless  he  loved  me 
supremely  —  enough,  at  least,  to  overlook 
the  stealing  of  a  ring.  Kurt,"  she  added 
after  a  pause,  "  did  it  occur  to  you  I  might 
have  had  a  reason  for  stealing  that  ring? 
To  put  you  to  the  test  —  your  love,  I  mean 

—  before  answering  you?" 
"Pen  —  » 

"  Never  mind,  now.  Jo  wouldn't  have  gone 
back  on  me  if  he  had  been  my  lover.  There's 
the  ideal  lover  for  you.  There's  one  thing 
I  didn't  try  to  steal  up  here  —  Jo  from  Marta. 
Well,  it's  all  over  now,  and  I  am  going  back 

—  back  with  Hebby." 

"  You  are  not  going  away  with  that  man," 
he  said  hotly.  "  Mrs.  Kingdon  arrives  to- 
day.    She  will  find  a  way  out." 

"  I  think  not.  You  don't  know  Hebby.  I 
think  I  want  to  go  with  him." 

"  You  see,"  he  said  looking  at  her  wist- 
fully, "you  didn't  love  me  —  " 

228 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


"  Then  we're  quits,"  she  laughed,  jumping 
quickly  on  the  wheel  and  speeding  toward 
the  house. 

"  The  beans  are  sure  spilled  now,"  she 
thought,  when  she  had  gained  her  room. 
"  I've  outwitted  Kurt,  and  I  must  give  Hebby 
the  same  treatment,  but  how  can  I  make 
my  getaway?  Hebby  in  town  —  and  such 
a  small  town.  They  took  the  racer.  The 
big  car  is  out  of  commission.  Sandy  rode 
to  the  corral  in  Kurt's  shebang.  No  horse 
leaves  the  stables  without  Kurt's  O.  K.  Oh, 
for  the  wings  of  a  dove !  There's  my  inspira- 
tion! I  know  some  better  wings  than  a 
dove's.  I'll  telephone  Larry  and  literally 
fly  from  here." 

She  went  into  Mrs.  Kingdon's  room  where 
there  was  an  extension  telephone  and  called 
up  Larry  at  the  hotel.  Fortunately  he  was 
within  call. 

"  Want  to  do  something  for  me  Larry, 
dear?  Hebby  is  here!  I'm  in  a  mix-up  as 
I  generally  am.     No  way  out  unless  you'll 

229 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


fly  to  me  up  here.  I  mean  it.  Inquire  the 
way  to  Westcott's  ranch  —  the  next  beyond 
Top  Hill  where  I  am.  Land  by  a  big  red- 
roofed  barn  —  only  red  roof  in  vicinity.  I'll 
be  there  at  three  this  afternoon,  and  be  yours 
forever  after  if  you'll  have  me.  I  knew  I 
could  count  on  you.  This  is  really  serious, 
Larry.     If  you  love  me,  don't  fail  me." 

She  hung  up  the  receiver  with  a  sigh  of 
relief. 

"  To  think  of  falling  back  on  Larry  whom 
I  used  to  consider  a  light-weight.  He  is  my 
last  ditch,  and  then  I'm  off  by  the  overhill 
and  skyville  route.  In  the  meantime  I'll  make 
some  manuscript  memoirs  to  leave  behind." 

A  note  to  Marta  and  a  shorter  one  to  Jo 
occupied  but  a  few  moments  time,  but  she 
wrote  swiftly  and  steadily  for  an  hour  on 
a  longer  one.  When  she  had  a  bulky  package 
she  sealed  it  and  addressed  it  to  Kurt.  An 
explanatory  letter  to  Mrs.  Kingdon  then 
followed. 

"  I'll  have  to  travel  light  —  a  beach  com- 
230 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


ber's  outfit,"  she  thought  as  she  prepared  for 
departure. 

She  gave  the  notes  for  Jo  and  Marta  to 
Agatha  to  be  delivered  on  their  return.  She 
had  a  few  moments  confidential  conversa- 
tion with  Francis,  bade  the  others  good-bye 
and  then  sped  down  the  road  to  Westcott's. 


231 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


CHAPTER  XIII 

Agatha  came  out  to  the  driveway  to  stop 
the  buckboard  and  deliver  the  notes. 

Marta  read  the  one  handed  to  her  as  they 
drove  on  to  the  stables. 

"What  'tis,  honey,"  Jo  asked  in  alarm, 
as  he  reined  up  and  turned  to  her. 

There  was  a  wild,  distraught  look  in 
Marta's  eyes,  and  her  face  had  suddenly 
turned  very  pale. 

"Oh,  Jo!     Pen  —  " 

"  Wait ! "  he  cautioned,  as  Gene  came  out 
of  the  stable. 

"Unhook  for  me,  will  you,  Gene?"  he 
asked. 

"  Now,  Marta,  what  is  it?  "  he  again  asked 
anxiously  as  they  were  walking  back  to  the 
house. 

"Read  your  letter,  Jo,   and  see  what   it 

says." 

232 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


He  read  aloud: 

"  Dear  Jo  :  Leaving  Top  Hill  forever  by 
the  Excelsior  Route.  Had  to.  Never  go 
back  on  Little  Marta.  Will  see  you  some- 
where, sometime.  At  four  this  afternoon, 
come  to  Westcott's  red-roofed  barn  and  get 
Francis'  wheel. 

"  Yours, 

"Penny  Ante." 

"  What  has  happened  to  send  her  off  in 
such  sky-rocket  fashion?  "  he  asked.  "  What 
did  she  say  to  you?  " 

"Jo,  we  must  find  her  at  once.  Let's  go 
to  Westcott's  the  quickest  way  we  can." 

"What  is  it,  Marta?" 

"  That  Mr.  Hebler  who  is  visiting  here, 
you  know,"  said  Marta  breathlessly.  "  Well, 
he  missed  a  diamond  ring.  He  left  it  on  a 
table  near  his  door  —  I  saw  it.  When  we 
came  back  from  our  walk  last  night,  I  went 
to  Miss  Lamont's  room.    His  door  was  open. 

233 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


A  great  whopping  diamond  ring  was  on  the 
table  —  and  —  " 

"  Yes,  Marta,"  he  said  encouragingly,  as 
she  paused. 

"  When  she  found  it  was  gone,  she  told 
Mr.  Walters  and. Mr.  Hebler  that  she  took  it, 
so  as  to  protect  me.  That's  why  she  has 
gone." 

"  She's  a  trump !  Read  me  her  note, 
Marta." 


"Dear  Little  Marta: 

"  You  must  do  just  as  I  say.  I  told  Mr. 
Walters  and  Mr.  Hebler  I  took  the  ring. 
Give  it  to  Mr.  Hebler  and  tell  him  I  left  it 
with  you  to  hand  to  him.  Never  do  it  again, 
Marta.  Jo  is  worth  a  whole  mine  of  dia- 
monds. When  I  am  safely  and  far  away, 
will  let  you  hear  from  me. 

"  With  love, 

"  Pen." 

"  Some   girl !  "    exclaimed   Jo.      "  But    she 
234 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


isn't  as  keen  as  I  thought,  or  she'd  have 
known  you  didn't  take  the  ring.,, 

"  Jo,  do  you  believe  —  " 

"  Shucks,  honey !  I  know  you  didn't.  I 
wouldn't  believe  you  did  if  I  saw  you  take 
it.     Here,  little  girl  —  " 

He  stopped,  put  his  arm  around  her,  lifted 
the  little  face  and  kissed  the  tears  from  it. 
"What's  matter  with  you?" 

"Jo,  I  didn't  take  it!" 

"Don't  I  know  you  didn't,  honey!"    . 

"  It's  nice  in  you  to  know  it,  Jo.  But  — 
suppose,  I  had  taken  it  —  " 

"  I'd  have  given  it  back  and  rustled  around 
till  I  could  have  bought  you  the  biggest  dia- 
mond in  Chicago." 

"  Who  do  you  suppose  did  take  it,  Jo?  " 

"  I  don't  know.     Maybe  he  never  lost  it." 

"  Wasn't  it  grand  in  her  to  take  the 
blame?" 

"  Yes,"  he  admitted  grudgingly,  "  but  I 
don't   like   her    thinking  you   took   it." 

"  But,  Jo.  Of  course  she  would  think  it 
235 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


was  I,  and  —  I  remember  now  —  when  I  saw 
that  diamond  I  thought  how  easy  it  would 
be  for  anyone  to  lift  it,  and  then  when  I 
was  in  her  room,  I  hardly  heard  a  word  she 
said  because  I  was  thinking,  *  It's  Jo !  It's 
Jo's  love  that's  made  me  different,'  and  then 
I  got  scared  thinking  that  I  might  want  to 
take  it,  and  how  awful  it  would  have  been 
if  I  had  never  met  you  and  loved  you.  I 
got  up  and  walked  right  out  of  the  room  so 
I  could  be  alone  and  think  about  you.  It 
must  have  looked  queer  to  her  the  way  I 
acted  —  till  she  found  the  ring  had  been 
taken." 

"I'll  see  Kurt,"  said  Jo,  "and  tell  him 
about  it,  and  he  will  find  her." 

"What's  that  sound?"  interrupted  Marta, 
looking  about  her  in  a  puzzled  way.  "  I've 
heard  it  before  somewhere.  Oh,  I  know! 
It's  an  airship." 

They  looked  up  and,  for  the  moment,  lost 
all  interest  in  things  below. 

"  Holy  Smoke !  "  exclaimed  Jo.  "  First 
236 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


one  I  ever  saw!  Gene  said  there  was  one  in 
town  a  few  days  ago.  Look!  It's  coming 
down  corkscrew  style!  It's  going  to  land 
there  by  Westcott's !  " 


*37 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


CHAPTER  XIV 

Down  the  road  from  the  corral,  Kurt 
chugged  homeward  in  his  crude  little  car. 
He  had  the  manner  of  one  whose  heart  is 
heavy,  but  whose  resolution  was  still  invin- 
cible. 

A  strange  unaccustomed  sound,  a  faint, 
far-away  buzzing  made  him  glance  upward. 
Two  sharp  winged  points  were  skimming 
through  the  air.  He  felt  a  thrill  —  the  thrill 
of  the  unknown.  He  knew  it  must  be  one 
of  the  craft,  foreign  as  yet  to  the  hill  coun- 
try. In  the  distance  he  saw  it  swirl,  loop 
and  maneuver,  spiral  gracefully  downward, 
skim  the  earth  lightly,  rise  again  and  then 
descend  from  sight  hidden  by  one  of  the 
hills. 

In  a  few  moments  he  saw  it  ascending 
again.  It  passed  over  him  —  so  high  up 
that  it  seemed  but  of  bird  size. 

238 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


He  was  startled  —  lifted  momentarily  and 
dazedly  from  his  plodding  existence. 

He  had  read  of  these  ships  of  the  air,  but 
their  reality  had  not  been  borne  in  on  him 
until  now. 

He  went  on  to  the  house.  Three  children 
rushed  at  him  with   football  fury. 

"  Attaboy ! "  he  cried,  catching  up  Billy. 
"What  is  it?" 

"  Mother  is  in  town  with  father  and  Mr. 
Hebler.     Father  just  telephoned  —  " 

Kurt  had  the  feeling  of  something  lifted 
—  of  help  at  hand. 

"  And,"  continued  Francis  placidly,  "  father 
said  you  were  to  take  us  to  town  in  the  big 
car  and  we'll  all  have  dinner  at  the  hotel 
and  come  back  together.  And  he  said  to 
bring  Aunt  Pen.     But  you  can't  now." 

"  Run  up  to  her  room,  Francis,  and  tell  her 
I  want  to  speak  to  her." 

"  Aunt  Pen  has  gone,"  said  the  boy  sob- 
erly. 

"  Gone !    When  —  where  ?  " 
239 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


"  I  don't  know.  She  kissed  us  good-bye 
and  she  gave  me  a  letter  to  give  to  you  at 
dinner  time.,, 

"  Give  it  to  me  now,  Francis." 

"No;  she  said  she  trusted  me,  and  I  told 
her  I  wouldn't  give  it  to  you  till  she  said." 

"  Come  with  me,  Francis,"  said  Kurt, 
drawing  him  away  from  the  other  children. 
"  I  want  to  talk  to  you  as  man  to  man.  We 
must  always  protect  women,  you  know. 
Your  Aunt  Pen  went  away  because  she 
thought  it  best  for  her.  It  isn't  best.  Your 
mother  is  her  best  friend,  and  if  she  had 
been  here,  she  wouldn't  have  let  her  go.  If 
I  had  the  letter,  you  see,  I  might  be  able  to 
find  where  she  had  gone.  Then  I  could  ask 
her  to  come  back." 

Francis  looked  up  at  him  oddly  and  said 
in  his  little,  old-man  fashion: 

"  Maybe  it  would  be  best,  but  father  says 
that  a  real  man  never  breajks  his  word  to  a 
woman." 


Kurt  flushed  slightly. 
240 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


"  I  take  off  my  hat  to  you,  Francis.  You 
are  right." 

Not  believing  that  Pen  would  start  out  on 
foot,  he  went  down  to  the  garage.  The  cars 
were  all  accounted  for.  A  visit  to  the  stables 
proved  the  same  as  to  the  horses. 

On  his  way  back  to  the  house,  he  met 
Betty,  who  said  to  him  in  a  stage  whisper. 

"Uncle  Kurt,  Aunt  Penny  is  going  to 
France.  She  went  by  way  of  Westcott's. 
Is  that  the  way  to  France?  Don't  tell  Fran- 
cis I  told.  She  is  going  to  help  the  French 
and  the  Beligum  babies/ ' 

"  Thank  you  very  much,  Betty." 

This  was  a  clue.  She  had  doubtless  started 
toward  Westcott's  expecting  to  get  a  lift  to 
town.  If  no  one  had  picked  her  up  en  route, 
he  could  easily  overtake  her  in  the  big  car, 
which  Gene  had  now  repaired. 

"  Go  and  tell  the  boys  to  get  ready,  Betty." 

Betty  sped  gleefully  away. 

"Oh,  Mr.  Walters!"  hailed  Mrs.  Merlin, 
coming  from  the  house,  "  when  you  see  Mr. 

241 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


Hebler,    tell    him    I    put    his    diamond    ring 
away.     I'm  awfully  forgetful.     I  —  " 

"  You  put  his  diamond  ring  away  ? 
Where?"  asked  Kurt  faintly. 

"  It  was  like  this.  I  couldn't  get  to  sleep 
last  night  because  a  window  was  rattling  in 
the  hall,  so  I  got  up  and  went  out  to  fix  it. 
When  I  passed  by  Mr.  Hebler's  door,  I  saw 
his  diamond  ring  on  a  table  near  the  door. 
Ain't  it  awful  how  careless  folks  are!  I 
opened  a  drawer  in  the  table  and  slipped  it 
in,  and  I  clean  forgot  all  about  it  till  a  little 
while  ago.  Maybe  he's  got  it  on  by  this 
time,  though," 

"All  right,  Mrs.  Merlin,  I'll  tell  him," 
said  Kurt,  hastily  going  in  and  up  to  Hebler's 
room.  The  diamond  fairly  blazed  at  him  in 
accusation  as  he  opened  the  drawer. 

And  yet  Hebler  had  told  him  that  he  had 
the  ring!  He  hadn't  been  in  the  house  after 
he  had  said  the  ring  was  missing.  And  why 
had  Pen  said  she  took  it?  Maybe  she  had 
taken  that  method  of  returning  it. 

242 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


He  went  downstairs,  pondering  over  the 
mystery.  This  time  Marta  stopped  him, 
excitedly. 

"  Oh,  Mr.  Walters,  Jo  and  I  have  been 
looking  for  you!  Miss  Lamont  didn't  take 
the  ring." 

"  I  know  she  didn't.  I  just  learned,  Marta, 
that  Mrs.  Merlin  saw  it  on  the  table  and  put 
it  away." 

"  Find  Miss  Lamont  and  tell  her ! "  cried 
Marta  in  distress.  "  You  see  she  thought  I 
took  it.  She  had  reason  to  think  so  —  the 
way  I  acted.     She  was  protecting  me." 

"  I  see,"  he  said  despairingly.  "  I  made 
her  think  you  had  taken  it." 

"  Come  outside  and  see  Jo." 

"  Jo,"  he  asked  desperately,  when  he  had 
joined  him,  "do  you  know  where  she  is? 
She  has  gone.     I  must  know." 

"  Kurt,  you  might  as  well  try  to  catch  a 
piece  of  quicksilver  as  Penny  Ante,  if  she 
don't  want  to  be  caught." 

"  Have  you  the  slightest  idea  as  to  where 
243 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


she  has  gone  or  where  she  might  have 
gone  ?  " 

"  Maybe  I  could  venture  a  guess.  I'll  have 
to  know  first  why  you  want  to  know." 

Something  more  compelling  than  any  emo- 
tion he  had  yet  known  kept  down  the  anger 
that  otherwise  would  have  risen  at  being 
thwarted. 

"  I  love  her,  Jo,"  he  said  quietly. 

"  For  how  long,  Kurt,  have  you  loved 
her?" 

"  Since  the  first  night  I  met  her,"  he  said 
slowly  and  reminiscently.  "  When  we 
camped  on  the  trail.  She  lay  asleep  in  the 
moonlight." 

"  Have  you  forgotten  what  you  warned 
me  against  that  day  I  told  you  about  Marta 
—  about  marrying  a  thief." 

"  I  was  a  simp,  then,  Jo.  I  had  never 
been  in  love." 

"  Well,"  pursued  Jo,  "  why  didn't  you  tell 
her  you  loved  her  in  the  first  place?  Maybe 
it  would  have  helped.     It  isn't  much  of  a 

244 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


compliment  to  a  girl  to  hang  around  and 
not  say  anything." 

"  Think,  Jo.  I  supposed  until  Marta  came, 
that  Pen  was  your  girl.  I  brought  her  up 
here  to  see  if  she  could  be  reformed  for  you, 
I  sent  you  away  to  Westcott's  until  I  could 
tell  if  she  were  worthy  of  you." 

"  Say,  Kurt,  I  am  the  simp.  I  never 
thought  of  that.  She  didn't  think  you  really 
cared.     Leave  it  to  me.     I'll  tell  her." 

"But  where  is  she?  Don't  let  the  boys 
know,  but  Betty  leaked  the  fact  that  she  was 
going  to  France.  I  can't  think  she  was  in 
earnest." 

Jo  whistled. 

"  I  am  beginning  to  get  glimpses  on  a 
dark  subject.  I'll  bet.  that  is  where  he  is 
making  for,  too." 

"He?  Who?"  he  asked  quickly.  "  Heb- 
ler?" 

"  Hebler !  She'd  rather  dodge  him  than 
you.  No;  I  mean  that  aviator  who  landed 
over   toward   Westcott's   a   little   while   ago. 

245 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


I  heard  one  of  those  fliers  had  been  in  town 
giving  an  exhibition.  He  was  down  to  earth 
just  about  long  enough  to  pick  some  one  up. 
That  was  what  she  meant  in  the  note  she 
left  for  me  when  she  said  she  was  going  by 
the  Excelsior  route." 

"  How  would  she  know  him,  and  how 
would  she  get  word  to  him  to  come  out 
here?" 

"  She  told  me  she  spent  the  day  in  town 
—  let  me  see  —  day  before  yesterday,  I  think 
it  was.  Said  she  met  a  man  there  she  used 
to  know." 

"  She  told  me,  too,  she  had  been  to  town, 
but  I  thought  she  was  only  joking.  I  didn't 
believe  her." 

"  There's  a  lot  you  could  hear  about  her, 
Kurt,  that  you  wouldn't  believe  right  off  the 
bat;  but  it's  not  me  who's  going  to  put  you 
wise.  Talk  to  Mrs.  Kingdon  about  her. 
You'll  not  get  the  chance  to  interview  Penny 
Ante  very  soon,  I  imagine.  In  the  craft 
she    must   be    traveling    in,    there's    nothing 

246 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


about  this  ranch  that  can  overtake  her,  but 
I'll  do  my  level  best.  Let  me  see !  She  won't 
go  to  town.  She'll  want  to  keep  out  of  Heb- 
ler's  reach,  of  course.,, 

"Why?"  asked  Kurt.     "  Do  you  know?" 

"  I  know  more  than  you  do  about  her.  A 
girl  has  to  have  some  one  to  confide  in  and 
Little  Penny  Ante  chose  me.  You  scared  her 
out,  you  know." 

Kurt  winced. 

"They  will  naturally  go  in  an  opposite 
direction,"  pursued  Jo.  "  They  may  fly  over 
to  the  next  station  and  take  the  east-bound. 
I'll  take  your  car." 

"  No ;  you  take  the  children  to  town,  and 
I'll  go  in  pursuit  —  " 

"  That'll  never  do.  She  won't  try  to  dodge 
me." 


247 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


'    CHAPTER  XV 

In  the  little  valley  by  Westcott's,  Pen  stood 
waiting  and  staring  upward.  At  last  she 
heard  the  sharp  sound  of  an  engine  and  saw 
the  plane  describing  a  sweeping  circle.  It 
came  gently  down,  the  little  wheels  rolling 
along  the  grass. 

"  I'm  in  debt  to  Hebler,"  said  Larry.  "  It 
was  only  your  fear  of  him  that  overcame 
your  fear  of  flying.,, 

Then  looking  at  her,  he  continued,  con- 
fidingly, "  I  wouldn't  take  up  the  average 
girl,  Pen,  and  especially  one  who  owned  up 
to  being  afraid.  But  I  know  you.  You'll 
forget  fear  in  the  thrills.  All  you've  got  to 
do  is  to  sit  still,  hold  on  and  look  out  on  the 
level.  We  won't  do  any  swivels ;  just  straight 
stuff,  and  you'll  be  as  safe  as  you  would  any 
place." 

She  put  on  the  hood  and  goggles  and  was 
adjusted  to  the  seat. 

248 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


"Now  where  do  you  want  to  go?"  he 
asked. 

"  Anywhere  to  lose  myself.  Hebby  is  in 
town  and  so  —  are  others.  Let  us  take  the 
opposite  direction  and  you  can  land  me  at 
some  place  where  the  east-bound  stops  and 
I  can  get  some  more  luggage.  Then  we'll 
make  plans." 

"  Suits  me.  First  thing  we'll  do  is  to  have 
a  grand  flight.  Then  I'll  leave  you  at  a 
nice,  little,  sky-high  inn  I  know  up  in  the 
clouds.  I'll  fly  back  to  town,  pay  my  bill, 
pack  my  traps  and  join  you  by  train." 

He  started  the  engine.  The  plane  skipped 
along  for  a  few  paces,  then  arose,  it  seemed 
to  Pen,  to  great  and  dizzy  heights.  In  spite 
of  her  instructions  she  ventured  to  look 
down.  Everything  earthly  was  disappearing. 
They  dodged  the  clouds,  went  above  them 
and  then  slid  down  to  the  splendors  of  the 
sunlight.  Over  the  hills  at  full  speed  they 
swept  along,  Larry's  air-wise,  lightning- 
swift  sensibilities  making  naught  of  change 

249 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


of  currents  and  drafts.  Then  came  the  joy 
and  thrill  of  a  sixty-mile  straightaway  spurt. 

It  was  wonderful,  but  the  most  wonderful 
part  of  it  to  Pen  was  that  she  had  not  even 
a  second  of  fear,  although  always  this 
thought  of  being  shot  up  suddenly  straight 
into  an  unknown  realm  had  been  most  ter- 
rifying. 

Up  there  above  the  hills  and  in  the  clouds, 
she  felt  entranced,  spiritualized.  It  was  with 
a  feeling  of  depression  that  she  saw  they 
were  spinning  down  until  they  hovered  over 
a  field,  scudding  smoothly  and  slowly 
along. 

.  "You  weren't  afraid!"  exclaimed  Larry 
triumphantly,  as  they  walked  along  toward 
a  little  inn  resting  at  the  base  of  one  of  the 
undulating  hills. 

"No;"  she  answered,  "only  awed." 

"  Was  it  anything  like  you  expected?  " 

"  No,"  she  replied. 

A  man  came  out  of  the  inn  to  meet  them. 

"  Halloa,  Larry !    Too  bad  I  couldn't  have 
250 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


had  a  full  house  to  see.    The  last  tourist  left 
on  the  train  to-day." 

"  Then  you'll  have  more  room  for  us. 
This  is  Miss  Lamont,  Nat.  Mr.  Yates,  the 
proprietor,"  he  explained  to  Pen.  "Can  you 
give  us  supper  and  put  Miss  Lamont  up  for 
the  night?  I  have  to  fly  back  to  my  hotel. 
I'll  return  by  train  in  the  morning." 

"Sure  thing!     House  is  yours." 

He  showed  Pen  to  a  neat  little  room  and 
told  her  "  supper'd  be  on  in  a  jiffy." 

She  sat  down  dazedly.  Presently  she  was 
roused  to  her  surroundings  by  Larry's  "  Oh, 
Pen !  "  from  below. 

When  she  came  down  to  the  dining-room/ 
Larry's    clear    young    eyes    looked    at    her 
keenly. 

"Not  down  to  earth  yet,  Pen?  I  know 
how  you  feel.  First  time  I  made  the  sky 
route,  I  went  off  by  myself  for  a  day." 

"Larry,  I  can't  talk  about  it  yet.  I  will 
tell  you  now  why  I  joined  you.  I  thought  I 
would  like  to  go  to  France  —  with  you.     I 

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thought  I  might  be  useful  some  way,  but 
now  —  " 

"We  won't  think  of  plans  now.  We'll 
talk  it  all  over  in  the  morning  when  I  am 
back.  You'll  be  safe  here.  Nat  would  as 
lief  shoot  Hebby  or  anyone  else  who  trailed 
you.     Supper's  on  the  table,  so  come  on." 

Throughout  the  meal  Larry  did  most  of 
the  talking,  Pen  scarcely  responding.  Then 
he  was  off,  steering  in  great  circles  toward 
town,  Pen  watching  with  the  quickening  of 
pulse  and  a  renewal  of  the  elation  she  had 
felt  when  taking  the  air.  When  he  was  but 
a  mere  speck  in  the  sky,  she  went  up  to  her 
little  room. 

"You'll  never  look  quite  so  high  or  so 
wonderful  to  me  again,"  she  thought,  as  she 
looked  out  on  the  hills.  "  It's  because  I've 
looked  down  on  you,  I  suppose — 'the  law 
of  contrast.  I  learned  a  great  deal  up  there 
—  in  the  vapors.  I  put  out  my  feelers,  some- 
thing I  never  did  before.  I  see  I've  always 
faked   my    sensations.      But    my   wings    are 

252 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


pin  feathers  as  yet.  I  have  to  look  at  every- 
thing from  a  new  angle  of  vision.  All  my 
life  I've  been  longing  for  thrills  —  real 
thrills,  my  own  thrills;  not  other  peoples.  I 
had  a  few  little  shivers  when  I  was  riding 
to  Top  Hill  that  morning;  a  few  more  last 
night  —  but  my  first  true  thrill  of  rapture 
came  when  I  was  challenging  the  sky,  an 
argonaut." 

It  was  a  hard  struggle  for  Pen  to  adjust 
her  new  self  that  she  had  found  up  in  the 
high  altitudes  where  all  the  tepid,  petty 
things  of  life  had  dropped  from  her  —  where 
she  had  found  the  famous  fleece,  the  truth. 
In  the  vastness  of  that  uncharted  land,  like 
a  flash  in  the  dark  something  had  leaped  at 
her.  Her  dream  of  a  dream  had  come  true. 
She  had'  learned  the  great  human  miracle, 
the  meaning  of  a  love  that  had  the  strength 
to  renounce.  A  god-made  love,  sweet  and 
strong,  conceived  on  earth,  but  brought  forth 
on  high  where  the  call  of  destiny  had  sounded 
with  clarion  clearness.     She  knew  now  what 

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Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


she  had  missed;  that  he  was  not  of  the  world 
of  miniature  men  who  exact  and  never 
return. 

She  was  roused  from  her  visions  of  the 
new  and  radiant  world  which  had  been 
opened  unto  her  by  a  knock  at  her  door. 

"  Yes,"  she  answered  vaguely. 

"  There's  a  man  downstairs  to  see  you," 
said  the  proprietor. 

She  was  at  once  alert  and  on  the  defen- 
sive, thinking  of  an  encounter  with  Hebler. 

"Do  you  know  who  he  is?"  she  asked 
apprehensively. 

"  He  said  to  tell  you  'twas  Jo." 

Joyfully  she  hastened  down  to  the  deserted 
office  of  the  little  inn. 

"  Jo,  I  am  so  glad  it's  you ! " 

"  So  am  I.  Come  outside  and  take  a  walk 
with  me." 

"  How  did  you  ever  track  me  up  here, 
Jo  ?  "  she  asked  as  they  walked  up  a  hillside. 

"  Not  hard  to  track  the  first  skycraft  that 
ever  came  up  to  these  parts.     I  saw  one  land 

254 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


near  Westcott's,  and  I  had  a  hunch  it  was 
lighting  for  you.  Then  I  thought  no  more 
about  it  until  things  happened  that  made  it 
up  to  me  to  find  you.  I  inquired  around  and 
about  and  found  a  big  balloon  had  come  this 
way,  so  I  figured  this  was  about  your  goal 
for  a  train.,, 

"  Why  was  it  up  to  you  to  find  me,  Jo?  " 

"Well,  Miss  Penny  Ante,  I  am  a  little 
interested  in  you,  seeing  as  it  was  you  who 
brought  Marta  to  me.  And  I  knew  you  would 
be  interested  in  knowing  Marta  didn't  take 
the  ring." 

"  Oh,  Jo !  I  tried  to  think  it  wasn't  Marta, 
but  —  " 

"  She  says  she  acted  just  as  though  she 
had  taken  it.  It  was  old  Merlin,  nosing 
around  the  hall,  who  tucked  it  away.  But  the 
real  reason  I  had  to  run  you  down  was  for 
my  pal.    He  wants  you." 

"  Why?  "  she  asked.  "  To  apologize?  You 
didn't  tell  him,  Jo  —  " 

"  I  told  him  nothing." 
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Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


"  Then  he  must  want  me  as  an  ex-sheriff." 

"  Cut  that  out,  Miss  Penny  Ante.  He 
wants  to  find  you  because  he  loves  you." 

"  What  makes  you  think  so,  Jo?  " 

"  He  'fessed  up  when  he  found  you  had 
gone." 

"He  didn't  love  me  —  not  as  you  love 
Marta,"  she  reminded  him.  "It  made  no 
difference  with  you  that  Marta  —  " 

He  made  a  quick  gesture  of  protest. 

"  You  forget,"  he  said  soberly,  "  that  when 
I  met  Marta  and  fell  in  love  with  her,  I  didn't 
know  about  —  her.  Bender  had  told  him 
about  you  before  he  met  you,  and  then  he 
thought  you  belonged  to  me." 

"  Jo,  if  you  had  known  Marta  stole  before 
you  met  her,  wouldn't  you  have  loved  her  and 
asked  her  to  marry  you?  " 

"  I  don't  know,"  he  said  frankly,  "  and  I 
don't  care  about  '  might  have  beens.'    I  know 


I  love  her  now  and  always  shall.     That  is 
enough." 

"  Miss  Penny  Ante,"  he  continued,  as  she 
256 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


did  not  answer  him,  "you  don't  know  Kurt 
Walters  as  I  do.  He  is  a  square  man,  square 
as  a  die." 

"  Yes,  Jo,"  she  said  softly.  "  He  is  a  real 
man  —  a  square  man.  I  know  it  now,  too 
late." 

"  Not  too  late.  Not  if  you  care.  Go  back 
with  me  to  the  ranch.  He  has  gone  to  town 
with  the  children  to  meet  the  Kingdons.  Mrs. 
Kingdon  is  there,  too.  They  will  all  be  back 
to-night." 

"No,  Jo;  it's  too  late." 

"Why?" 

"  Because  I  gave  Francis  a  letter  telling 
him  everything.  He  might  overlook  what  he 
did  know,  but  I  understand  his  pride.  He'll 
never  overlook  the  other.  He'll  not  forgive 
the  deception." 

"  Go  to  him  unexpectedly,  Miss  Penny  Ante. 
A  man  off  guard,  you  know.  Come  back  to 
Top  Hill  with  me." 

"  No ;  I  am  going  to  wait  here  until  Larry 
comes  back.    I  must." 

257 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


"  Who  is  he,  and  what  is  he  to  you?  "  asked 
Jo  resentfully  and  suspiciously. 

"  So  you  see,  Jo,"  she  said,  when  she  had 
finished  a  brief  account  of  Larry's  entrance 
into  her  life,  "  I  can't  go  back  with  you. 
Don't  tell  anyone  but  Marta  where  you  found 
me.  Ask  her  to  forgive  me  for  being  so 
stupid  about  the  ring.  I'll  walk  down  to  your 
car  with  you." 

They  walked  slowly  without  speaking  until 
they  came  to  the  inn.  She  looked  at  the  car 
wistfully. 

"  I  haven't  been  in  this  poor,  little  old  car 
since  that  first  ride  to  Top  Hill,"  she  said 
reminiscently. 

He  made  no  reply,  but  got  into  the  car  and 
put  his  hand  on  the  wheel. 

"Jo!" 

"  Well,"  he  answered  in  the  tone  of  one 
balked  in  his  intentions. 

"  He'll  get  over  it." 

"  No ;  men  like  Kurt  don't  get  over  any- 
thing like  that.     I  know  what  it  is  to  love 

258 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


without  hope.  I  am  sorry  for  Kurt.  You'll 
be  sorry  for  him,  too,  some  day." 

She  had  come  close  to  the  car,  and  he  looked 
into  her  eyes  as  he  said  impressively: 

"  He  loved  you  from  that  very  first  night." 

"  That  very  first  night!  "  she  echoed.  "  Not 
surely  on  that  ride  from  town  —  from  jail  to 
Top  Hill !     Why,  he  fairly  hated  me  then ! " 

"  You're  not  hep  to  Kurt,"  he  declared. 
"  He  said  to  me  in  just  these  words :  '  I  have 
loved  her  since  that  first  night  I  saw  her, 
when  we  camped  on  the  trail  —  when  she  lay 
asleep  in  the  moonlight/  " 

After  making  this  enlightening  remark,  he 
motored  away,  while  Pen  stood  motionless 
with  the  shock  of  amazement  in  her  eyes. 


When  Larry  returned  on  the  early  east- 
bound,  he  found  Pen  on  the  veranda  of  the 
little  inn. 

"  Why,  Pen !  "  he  exclaimed.  "  Is  this  a 
stay-up  late,  or  a  get-up  early?" 

259 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


"  Both,  Larry.  I  couldn't  sleep.  I  am  still 
thinking  of  our  flight  up  —  where  I  found 
myself." 

"  I  know,"  he  said  comprehendingly.  "  You 
have  to  get  away  from  people  and  things  to  do 
that  —  to  get  the  right  line  on  yourself;  and 
that  is  the  only  place  you  can  do  it.  But  I 
met  a  man  at  the  hotel  who  knows  you." 

"Not  Hebby!" 

"  No ;  I  dodged  Hebby  for  fear  he'd  quizz 
me  or  follow  me.  This  other  man  began  a 
cross  exam.,  so  I  beat  it.  He  said  he  was 
from  the  ranch  where  you  stopped.  I  asked 
the  clerk  when  I  paid  my  bill  who  he  was,  and 
he  said  he  was  a  sheriff,  or  had  been  one. 
Maybe  Hebler  got  him  to  track  you.  I 
dodged  his  questions  so  as  not  to  put  him 
wise." 

"  He  isn't  a  colleague  of  Hebby's,"  denied 
Pen.  "  He  is  the  foreman  of  the  ranch  where 
T  stayed.  I  think  he  was  there  in  town  to  meet 
the  Kingdons." 

"  He  met  some  people  who  went  out  to  the 
260 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


ranch,  but  this  man  stayed  on  at  the  hotel. 
The  night  clerk  said  he  would  be  there  until 
noon  to-day.  We  had  better  get  ready  for 
the  next  train." 

"  I  am  ready,"  said  Pen  quietly. 


261 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


CHAPTER  XVI 

To  the  delight  of  his  young  passengers  Kurt 
drove  at  a  speed  never  before  attempted  when 
they  were  with  him.  At  the  hotel  there  was 
a  rallying  reunion  of  the  Top  Hill  family. 

"  Where  is  Pen?  "  Mrs.  Kingdon  was  finally 
permitted  to  ask. 

"  She  didn't  come  with  us,"  said  Kurt, 
grimly  enjoying  Hebler's  quick  attention.  The 
children  had  been  previously  and  carefully 
coached  to  make  no  mention  of  Pen's 
departure. 

He  made  an  excuse  to  leave  the  hotel  parlor 
and  went  down  to  the  office. 

"  Is  there  an  aviator  registered  here  ?  "  he 
asked  the  clerk. 

"  Sure  there  is,"  replied  the  clerk  proudly. 
"  Larry  Lamont.  Some  flier,  too.  He's  going 
over  to  France  soon  —  into  the  French 
service." 


262 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


Lamont !  Kurt  turned  a  little  pale.  "  Is 
he  here  now?  " 

"  His  things  are  here,  but  he's  out  with 
his  aeroplane  somewhere." 

Kurt  breathed  a  little  easier  and  resolved 
to  remain  at  the  hotel  until  the  aviator  should 
return. 

When  the  rest  of  the  party  came  through 
the  office  on  their  way  to  the  dining-room, 
Francis  lagged  behind  and  handed  Kurt  a 
letter  which  the  latter  abstractedly  slipped  into 
his  pocket. 

At  dinner  he  was  seated  at  the  end  of  the 
table  farthest  removed  from  Mrs.  Kingdon, 
so  he  had  no  opportunity  for  a  word  with  her 
in  regard  to  Pen.  As  they  were  going"  out 
from  dinner  she  called  to  him: 

"  The  children  are  clamoring  for  a  movie. 
They  don't  get  many  opportunities  to  see  one, 
and  I  haven't  the  heart  to  refuse  them  their 
first  request  after  my  long  absence.  So  we 
are  all  going.    Will  you  come,  too?  " 

"  I  can't,  I  fear.  I  have  a  little  matter  of 
263 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


business  to  attend  to,  but  I  will  be  here  after 
the  picture  show." 

"  I  imagine  we  will  not  be  back  very  soon. 
Billy  always  insists  on  seeing  a  picture  twice 
at  least.,, 

Kurt  remained  in  the  office  when  the  others 
had  gone.  Presently  the  clerk  said  to  him: 
"  Here  comes  Lamont  now ! " 

A  slim,  graceful-looking  young  man  smok- 
ing a  cigarette  was  just  swinging  in  from 
the  street. 

Instantly  Kurt  went  forward  to  meet  him. 

"  Mr.  Lamont?  "  he  asked. 

"Yes,"  admitted  the  aviator  warily. 

"  My  name  is  Walters.  I'm  from  the  ranch 
where  Miss  Lamont  has  been  visiting.  Are 
you  her  brother?" 

Lamont  shook  the  ashes  from  his  cigarette. 

"  I  beg  your  pardon,"  he  replied  coldly.  "  I 
have  no  sister." 

He  passed  on,  leaving  Kurt  still  at  sea  as 
to  the  relationship  of  the  aviator  and  Pen. 

Then  he  heard  Lamont  addressing  the  clerk. 
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Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


"  I  want  to  leave  an  early  call  for  the  first 
east-bound." 

Kurt  went  out  on  the  street.  He  could 
always  think  more  clearly  in  the  open,  and 
he  felt  that  he  had  much  need  for  thought. 
Added  to  his  other  disturbing  emotions  was 
the  most  stinging  one  of  jealousy.  The  truth 
that  struck  home  was  the  knowledge  that  the 
supposed  theft  of  the  ring  hadn't  made  him 
so  wretched  as  the  assurance  that  she  loved 
another  —  was  another's.  He  hadn't  been 
jealous  before  —  not  of  Jo  nor  even  of  Hebler, 
but  he  instinctively  felt  that  this  Romeo-like 
youth  whom  she  had  sought  was  the  one 
who  had  the  first  claim. 

"  He  shall  not  have  her !  "  he  muttered  when 
he  had  walked  the  streets  for  some  time.  "  Fll 
take  her  from  him  —  from  everyone." 

He  went  to  the  little  theatre  to  tell  the 
Kingdons  that  he  should  remain  in  town  all 
night.  Kingdon  could  drive  the  car  home  and 
Hebler  could  run  the  racer. 

He  walked  into  the  little  lobby.  The  bill 
265 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


boards  showed  him  it  was  a  wild  and  wholly 
western  scenario,  and  he  felt  certain  that  no 
less  than  two  performances  would  satisfy 
Billy's  cravings.  He  went  inside  and  stood 
scanning  the  well-filled  house  until  he  located 
his  little  party  well  up  in  front  —  children's 
choice  of  seats.  He  started  down  the  aisle. 
The  preliminary  pictuies  of  the  cast  were 
being  shown.    On  the  screen  flashed  the  lines : 

THE  THIEF 

or 

Meg  O'  The  Prairies 

By  Bobbie  Burr 

A  picture  of  "  Meg  O'  the  Prairies  "  fol- 
lowed. Kurt  turned  and  walked  back  to  the 
last  row  of  seats,  the  only  ones  vacant. 

The  theatre  was  dark.  An  improvised 
orchestra  was  essaying  something  that 
sounded  like  strains  of  Dixie,  Columbia, 
America  and  the  Star-Spangled  Banner  com- 
bined,   and    the    audience    were    continually 

266 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


standing  up  and  sitting  down,  in  a  state  of 
bewilderment  and  doubt  as  to  which  was  the 
national  air. 

Then  suddenly  on  the  white  screen  was 
enacted  the  regulation,  popular  style  of  West- 
ern play.  Ranch  settings,  tough  bar-room, 
inevitable  cowboys,  bandits,  Indians,  and  lov- 
ers twain,  held  the  audience  enthralled.  There 
were  the  many  hair-breadth  escapes,  pur- 
suits, timely  rescues  featuring  the  one  girl, 
daughter  of  a  ranchman,  attired  in  semi-cow- 
boy regalia,  who  rode  like  mad  and  performed 
all  kinds  of  wonderful  feats,  and  for  whose 
hand  the  hero,  villain  and  cowboys  hazarded 
their  lives  and  fortunes.  The  old,  old  picture 
that  came  with  the  first  film  and  will  last 
while  there  are  boys  and  men  with  the  hearts 
of  boys.  Look  upon  it  tenderly,  promoters 
of  educational  pictures  and  uplifting  reels, 
for  it  carries  a  romance  never  attained  in 
reality  and  irresistibly  appeals  to  the  idealism 
of  young  blood  and  young  hearts. 

For  an  instant,  when  the  first  picture  of 
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Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


"  The  Thief  "  was  thrown  on  the  screen,  Kurt 
felt  a  queer  sensation  as  one  who  intuitively 
perceives  something  of  danger  in  the  dark. 
A  swift,  warning  note  like  a  sharp  pain  struck 
him. 

With  tense  nerves,  he  waited  for  the  scenes 
in  which  she  would  appear.  All  the  little  well- 
remembered  gestures,  the  graceful  movements, 
the  tender  graces  which  he  had  been  wont  to 
steel  himself  against  were  there.  They 
brought  him  a  feeling  that  was  exquisite  in 
its  pain.  With  no  outward  show  of  emotion 
his  whole  being  quivered  and  throbbed  at  each 
appearance  of  the  boyish  figure  ever  recur- 
ring on  the  screen. 

Once  her  eyes,  wistful  and  entreating, 
seemed  to  meet  his  in  mute  reproach.  Then 
the  little  theater  was  lighted,  the  improvised 
orchestra  renewed  its  efforts.  He  went 
quickly  out  and  stopped  at  the  hotel  to  leave 
a  note  for  Kingdon.  Again  he  walked  and 
lost  himself  in  memories,  seeing  as  in  a  mirror 
all  the  incidents  that  had  so  intrigued  his 

268 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


interest,  but  which  now  in  the  light  of  his  new 
understanding  seemed  so  very  patent. 

Suddenly  he  recalled  her  letter  still  unread. 
That  might  show  some  motive  for  her  incog- 
nito and  explain  her  arrest  by  Bender. 

He  returned  to  the  hotel.  The  hour  was 
very  late.  He  learned  that  the  ranch  party 
had  long  since  departed  and  that  Larry 
Lamont  had  gone  to  his  room. 

With  a  queer  little  catch  of  expectancy  in 
his  throat,  he  held  the  letter  for  a  moment 
pressed  tight  in  his  hand.    Then  he  opened  it. 

"  To  Kurt  Walters,  Ex-Acting  Sheriff. 

"  In  taking  French  leave,  I  feel  that  it  is  due 
you  to  inform  you  who  your  prisoner 
really  is. 

"  I  was  to  the  stage  born.  In  fact,  nearly 
stage-born,  as  my  mother  played  her  part 
almost  up  to  the  night  I  made  my  debut  in  the 
great  game  of  Life.  My  childhood  was  spent 
mostly  in  the  flies,  and  my  earliest  memories 
are  of  being  propped  up  on  an  impromptu, 

269 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


triangular  divan  formed  by  a  piece  of  wood 
stuck  between  two  joists  and  covered  with 
cushions ;  of  watching  my  mother  use  lip  stick 
and  other  make-up  things;  of  hearing  the 
warning  knock  and  admonition:  ' Thirty 
minutes,  Miss  Lamont/  (No  'Mrs/  in  stage 
lore,  you  know)  and  later,  '  Fifteen  minutes 
Miss  Lamont ; '  of  her  cheery  response,  '  Yes, 
Parks/  and  of  her  never  hurrying  or  being 
flustered  by  the  flight  of  time;  of  her  giving 
me  a  sticky  kiss  as  the  final  peremptory  call 
came.  Everyone  in  the  company  mothered 
me,  so  I  was  not  neglected  —  doubtless 
received  too  much  attention.  I  was  a  very 
nimble  kidlet,  and  at  an  early  age  the  stage 
carpenter,  who  had  once  been  in  a  circus, 
taught  me  to  walk  a  taut  rope  and  to  perform 
acrobatic  feats. 

"  In  due  course  I  played  juvenile  leads. 
When  I  attained  the  young  and  tender  grass 
age,  I  was  sent  away  to  school,  my  mother 
having  been  a  shrewd  manager  and  investor. 
The  school  was  equipped  with  a  fine  gym- 

270 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


nasium;  riding  and  dancing  academies  were 
attached.  In  all  of  these  institutions  I 
excelled. 

"  When  I  was  sixteen,  my  mother  died,  and 
I  went  on  the  stage.  I  didn't  inherit  her  talent 
as  an  actress,  having  only  mediocre  ability, 
but  I  had  a  carrying  voice,  personality,  and 
could  dance,  so  I  soon  left  the  legitimate  stage 
for  vaudeville  where  I  made  something  like 
a  hit. 

"  Bruce  Hebler,  who  is  a  motion  picture 
man,  persuaded  me  to  come  into  film  land, 
and  if  you  didn't  live  at  the  end  of  the  trail 
and  forego  all  things  that  make  good  cheer, 
you  might  have  recognized  me  from  billboard 
pictures  and  magazine  pages  as  the  star  of 
certain  woolly  West  productions.  Jo  recog- 
nized me  at  once  as  Bobbie  Burr. 

"  This  spring  I  was  a  bit  under  the  weather, 
because  we  really  have  to  work  like  dogs  and 
some  of  our  daring  stunts  —  which  are  not 
always  faked  —  do  get  on  our  nerves,  you  see. 
I  had  to  have  a  vacation,  after  which  I  needed 

271 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


another,  and  was  advised  to  seek  recuperation 
in  your  hills.  My  objective  point  was  one 
hundred  or  more  miles  from  here  at  a  sort  of 
little  isolated  inn.  En  route  I  missed  connec- 
tions, and  having  no  enthusiasm  about  my 
destination,  I  stayed  over  in  the  town  nearest 
Top  Hill.  In  a  local  paper  I  read  of  the  arrest 
of  a  '  hardened  young  criminal/  I  was  cur- 
ious to  see  what  species  of  my  sex  that  might 
be,  and  followed  my  impulse  to  visit  her  at 
the  jail.  Your  friend,  Bender,  gave  me  per- 
mission to  visit  the  '  hardened  young  criminal.' 
She  was  a  girl  of  my  own  age,  size,  and  alto- 
gether what  I  or  any  girl  could  easily  have 
been  had  it  not  been  for  the  accident  of  birth, 
conditions  and  environment. 

"  Fortunately  she  was  an  admirer  of  Bobbie 
Burr,  and  I  won  her  confidence  and  story  — 
Marta's  story,  which  you  already  know. 
Things  and  people  had  made  her  put  up  a 
bluff  of  being  hardened,  but  there  had  come, 
as  you  know,  the  newly  awakened  desire  to 
'  live    straight  —  like    folks    who    didn't    get 

2*]2 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


caught/  To  use  her  own  words,  '  she  wasn't 
going  to  let  a  grand  man  like  him  wish  him- 
self on  such  as  me.'  I  felt,  then,  that  thief  or 
no  thief,  she  was  the  real  thing.  I  only  knew 
one  way  to  get  her  release  and  I  was  rather 
keen  for  adventure.  We  exchanged  dress 
skirts,  shoes,  hats  and  coats.  I  gave  her  some 
money,  the  key  to  my  hotel  room,  trunk  and 
suit-case  and  told  her  to  take  the  next  train 
out  while  the  going  was  good,  and  not  to  show 
up  at  the  hotel  until  the  night  clerk,  who  had 
not  seen  me,  came  on.  I  also  gave  her  a 
letter  to  some  good  friends  of  mine  in  a  town 
farther  west.  I  knew  they  would  be  kind 
to  her,  ask  no  questions  and  let  her  stay  until 
she  was  squared  about. 

"  It  was  done  on  an  impulse  —  in  a  flash 
—  one  of  those  kaleidoscopic  impulses  we 
have,  but  back  of  it  was  the  wish  to  help  some 
one,  and  the  curiosity  to  see  if  her  love,  aided 
by  the  opportunity,  would  suffice  to  reform 
the  kind  of  girl  she  was  supposed  to  be. 

"  She  left  the  jail  in  my  outer  clothes,  and 
273 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


I  stayed  in  her  shabby  garments.  Old  Bender 
never  suspected  the  transfer.  It  would  have 
been  very  easy  for  me  with  my  agility  gained 
in  screen  stunts  to  have  swung  out  from  any 
part  of  that  old  jail,  and  still  easier  to  have 
given  you  the  slip  en  route  to  Top  Hill,  but 
I  wanted  Marta  to  have  plenty  of  time  to 
get  to  a  far  cover  before  the  mistake  was 
discovered. 

"  Playing  a  part  was  second  nature  to  me. 
I  really  felt  that  for  the  time  being  I  was 
Marta,  but  a  different  Marta  from  the  real 
one.  I  always  enter  into  my  roles  with  all 
my  being,  so  I  set  the  role  of  a  real  thief  for 
myself  and  played  up  to  it  so  intently  that  I 
all  but  lost  my  own  personality.  It  was  the 
kind  of  Marta  that  Bender  supposed  her  to  be 
who  talked  to  you  on  that  memorable  ride  to 
Top  Hill.  Your  wish  to  be  helpful  to  an 
unfortunate  girl  touched  me  and  might  have 
won  me  to  confiding  in  you,  but  you  were  so 
stern  and  sometimes  so  repellant  in  your  man- 
ner, I  was  afraid  to  trust  you.    I  wasn't  sure 

274 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


you  would  be  equal  to  rising  above  your  chag- 
rin at  finding  you  had  been  taken  in  by  a 
1  movie  actress  '  and  that  you  might  apprehend 
poor  little  Marta. 

"  By  morning  I  was  curious  to  know  your 
idea  of  '  the  best  woman  in  the  world/  Then, 
too,  I  thought  I  could  find  my  needed  tonic 
in  your  hills  and  better  accommodations  than 
I  could  obtain  at  a  hotel.  So  I  continued  to 
play  my  part.  When  I  saw  Mrs.  Kingdon, 
I  realized  she  was  the  best  woman  in  the 
world.  She,  like  Jo,  recognized  me  at  once, 
having  seen  me  rehearsing  in  San  Francisco. 
I  had  the  whim  to  stay  incognito  and  she 
humored  me,  insisting,  however,  that  you 
should  be  told  the  next  day.  But  the  next 
day  you  had  gone.  In  the  week  that  followed 
I  learned  the  beauty  of  a  home  life,  hitherto 
unknown  to  me. 

"  Of  course  those  stunts  you  saw  me  doing 
on  field  day  were  mere  '  horse  play '  compared 
with  what  I  have  to  do  in  making  the  pic- 
tures.   When  I  met  you  for  a  brief  space  of 

275 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


time  that  afternoon,  I  had  no  opportunity  to 
make  my  disclosure.  When  you  returned, 
Mrs.  Kingdon  was  away  and  I  couldn't  resist 
the  temptation  to  play  on  in  my  new  part. 
Any  one's  personality  seems  more  pleasing 
to  me  than  my  own,  and  I  still  felt  as  if  I 
were  really  Marta. 

"  My  early  ideals  of  manly  suitors  were 
patterned  slightly  on  your  model;  it  piqued 
me,  I  admit,  that  you  didn't  seem  to  fall  for 
a  little  romance  with  me,  as  many  suitors  had 
done. 

"  When  I  saved  Francis  from  being  thrown 
(I've  turned  that  trick  many  a  time  in  pic- 
tures) I  felt  that  I  had  in  a  way  repaid  Mrs. 
Kingdon  for  her  hospitality.  You  were  so 
homey  and  nice  that  night,  I  almost  'fessed 
up.  I  did  my  best  to  make  you  care  more  — 
and  I  thought  I  had  succeeded;  but  you  still 
made  reservations  and  I  thought  your  reluct- 
ance came  from  my  past  —  Marta's  past  — 

"  That  night  as  I  stood  at  my  window 
vaguely    regretting    my    deception,    Jo    came 

276 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


along.  I  flew  down  to  him  and  told  him  that 
I  had  heard  from  Marta,  and  we  had  a  nice 
long  talk  together.  I  told  him  she  was  living 
'  straight/  but  I  respected  her  wish  not  to  let 
him  know  where  she  was. 

"  I  don't  know  why,  as  time  went  on,  I 
didn't  tell  you  who  I  was.  Maybe  it  was 
natural  perversity,  or  the  fateful  habit  of 
playing  a  part. 

"  I  ran  away  to  town  that  day  you  were 
all  absent  and  met  Larry  Lamont,  my  cousin, 
the  only  kinsman  I  have.  He  was  once  a 
harum-scarum  lad  and  did  some  flying  acts 
for  a  company  I  was  with,  and  one  day  when 
he  was  laid  off  for  '  reasons/  I  gave  him  a 
calling  down  and  advised  him  to  go  to  an 
aviation  school  and  learn  to  fly  scientifically. 
I  hadn't  heard  from  him  until  I  saw  him  at 
the  hotel,  and  found  he  had  made  good  and 
joined  the  flying  service  of  France. 

'  "  Marta's  unexpected  arrival  upset  things. 
I  knew  that  Mrs.  Kingdon  was  interested  in 
my  account  of  her  and  in  her  love  for  Jo; 

*77 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


also  that  she  intended  to  help  them  eventually, 
but  I  did  not  know  she  had  communicated 
with  Marta  during  her  own  absence.  Heb- 
ler's  sudden  appearance  was  the  last  straw. 
He  insists  I  am  under  contract  for  another  of 
the  wild  and  woolly  pictures  I  am  so  tired  of 
playing.  I  am  not  posted  on  the  legality  of 
contracts,  and  it  seemed  easier  to  dodge  him 
until  he  should  have  to  secure  some  one  else. 
You  were  very  nice  about  offering  to  help 
me  evade  him.  Some  way  the  return  of  Marta 
and  the  sudden  arrival  of  Hebler  made  me 
realize  I  had  been  playing  a  part.  That  night 
in  the  library  when  you  told  me  you  loved  me 
and  asked  me  to  marry  you,  I  was  really 
myself.  I  was  surprised  by  the  discovery 
that  you  loved  me;  but  I  wasn't  sure  of  my 
own  feelings.  I  felt  I  must  think  more  about 
it,  so  pursuing  my  usual  tactics  I  ran  away. 

"  On  passing  Hebby's  door,  that  gaudy 
diamond  flashed  before  me.  I'll  leave  the 
theft  an  unsolved  mystery. 

"  When  I  was  forced  to  reveal  my  presence 
278 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


to  Hebler,  I  felt  that  I  had  balled  things  up 
hopelessly  and  that  the  only  avenue  of  escape 
lay  in  flight  —  my  long  suit. 

"  My  only  solace  in  all  this  bungling  mess 
I  have  made  is  that  I  have  brought  Jo  and 
Marta  together. 

"With  you  at  the  ranch  and  Hebler  in 
town,  I  don't  know  how  I  could  make  my  get- 
away but  for  Larry.  I  have  telephoned  him 
and  he  is  to  meet  me  near  here,  and  by  the 
time  my  little  carrier  dove  delivers  this,  I  shall 
be  en  route  —  for  France.  I'm  weary  of 
movies,  and  life  is  a  delusion  anyway. 

"  I  admit  it  was  wrong  to  deceive  you  — 
after  the  necessity  for  so  doing  had  passed. 
You  were  kind  —  in  intent ;  still,  you  might 
have  been  a  wee  bit  nicer,  don't  you  think? 
"  Regretfully, 

"  Penelope/' 

"  P.  S.  Does  it  hurt  now  that  I  use  your 
mother's  name?  " 


He  read  this  letter  as  one  who  dreams  and 
279 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


is  but  half  conscious  that  it  is  a  dream.  He 
read  it  again  and  again,  each  time  grasping 
bit  by  bit  the  realization  of  its  contents  and 
what  they  meant  to  him. 

"She  was  right,"  he  thought.  "I  didn't 
know  what  love  meant.  I  do  now  —  now  that 
I  missed  it.  I've  lost  her  more  surely  than 
if  she  were  a  '  hardened,  young  criminal.'  I 
shall  never  try  to  find  her." 

It  was  hardly  sunrise  when  he  went  down 
to  the  office. 

"  I  should  like  to  speak  to  Mr.  Lamont  when 
he  comes  down,"  he  said  to  the  clerk. 

"  He  has  gone,"  was  the  reply.  "  He  came 
down  before  his  call  and  has  gone  to  the 
train." 

"  Maybe  it  is  just  as  well,"  thought  Kurt. 
"  There  is  really  no  message  I  could  send  to 
her." 

"See  the  picture  last  night?"  asked  the 
clerk  chattily.  "  The  Thief,  or  Meg  O'  The 
Prairies.     Great  picture!" 

"Yes;  I  saw  it,"  replied  Kurt  dismally. 
280 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


"  I  always  go  to  see  Bobbie  Burr.  She's 
my  favorite.  There  was  a  girl  here  the  other 
day  who  was  a  dead  ringer  for  her.  She 
had  dinner  with  Lamont  here.  I  read  in  a 
magazine  that  she  gets  a  big  salary.  I  forget 
the  figures,  but  it  was  more  per  week  than 
some  folks  earn  in  a  lifetime." 

Kurt's  heart  registered  more  downward 
beats.    . 

He  hung  about  the  office  until  the  dining- 
room  was  open  and  then  went  in  and  perfunc- 
torily consumed  some  food.  Later  he  called 
up  an  acquaintance  and  asked  the  loan  of  his 
car.  It  was  sent  around  to  the  hotel,  and  he 
was  just  about  to  start  for  the  ranch  when  a 
well-known  voice  behind  him  said: 

"  May  I  ride  out  to  Top  Hill  with  you?  " 

For  a  moment  the  blood  left  his  heart  and 
then  returned  so  rapidly  it  left  him  quite  pale. 

"  Larry  said  you  were  here.  I  came  back 
on  the  train  just  now.  I  want  to  go  to  the 
ranch  for  —  my  things.    Will  you  take  me?  " 

"  Yes,"  he  said  abstractedly. 
281 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


CHAPTER  XVII 

"Kurt!" 

He  looked  up  with  a  start.  As  on  that  first 
ride,  long  ago,  his  eyes  had  been  fixed  on  the 
road  ahead. 

"  Let's  talk  a  bit,"  she  said.  "  What  did 
you  think  —  " 

" 1  was  such  a  fool,"  he  replied  bitterly. 
"  I  should  have  known  that  you  were  not  what 
you  pretended  you  were.  You  must  believe  me 
when  I  tell  you  that  I  loved  you  from  that  first 
night  we  were  up  here  in  the  hills.  I  didn't 
know  how  great  my  love  was,  though,  until 
I  knew  I  had  lost  you." 

"  I  thought,  or  tried  to  think,  you  should 
have  known  I  was  not  a  thief,"  said  Pen, 
with  a  soft  tone  in  her  voice,  "  but  Larry  said 
that  only  showed  what  a  good  actress  I  am. 
I  told  Larry  all  about  it  this  morning,  and  he 
said  no  self-respecting  man  would  ask  a  thief 

282 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


to  marry  him,  not  if  he  knew  she  was  a  thief 
before  he  loved  her." 

"  I  didn't  read  your  letter,"  he  said,  "  until 
after  I  had  seen  the  picture  of  '  The  Thief ' 
last  night.  So  I  was  prepared  for  its  con- 
tents. I  read,  and  not  entirely  between  the 
lines,  that  you  did  not  care." 

"I  didn't  think  I  did  — so  much  —  "  she 
answered,  "  when  I  wrote  that  letter ;  but  up 
there,  Kurt,  up  in  the  clouds  yesterday  — 
something  within  me  unlatched,  and  I  knew 
that  I  loved  you,  and  that  my  love  would  make 
you  forgive  me  for  deceiving  you.  You 
will?" 

"  I  will.  But  you  see  there  is  a  greater 
obstacle  than  that  —  or  in  the  thought  that 
you  were  a  thief." 

"  You  mean  my  being  a  movie  actress.  Are 
you  so  prejudiced  against  the  profession?  " 

"  The  obstacle  is  that  the  clerk  of  the  hotel 
told  me  he  had  read  somewhere  that  Bobbie 
Burr  received  a  stupenduous  salary." 

"  Well,  don't  you  think  she  earns  it?  " 
283 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


"  You  see,  a  poor  foreman  of  a  ranch  would 
never  have  the  hardihood  to  ask  a  rich  girl 
to  marry  him;  he'd  a  thousand  times  rather 
marry  a  poor  thief." 

"Is  that  the  only  obstacle ?"  she  asked. 

"  It  is,  and  it  is  unsurmountable." 

He  was  silent,  and  in  his  deep-set  eyes  she 
read  the  resolve  he  had  made. 

"  That  is  an  obstacle  that  soon  can  be  van- 
quished. I  am  a  good  spender,  and  I  will  soon 
make  way  with  all  I  have.  I  am  looking  for 
a  good  investment.  Mr.  Kingdon  or  Jo  or 
some  one  told  me  Westcott's  was  for  sale. 
You  see,  we  might  run  it  fifty-fifty.  I  could 
buy  it  and  you  run  it." 

"  I  can't,  Pen,"  he  said  desperately. 

She  made  no  reply. 

The  car  whipped  round  the  curves.  She 
was  watching  the  long  efficient  hands  grip- 
ping the  wheel.  Then  she  stole  a  glance  at 
his  grim,  thrust-forward  profile.  She  felt 
that  something  must  be  done  and  she  was  a 
believer  in  the  power  of  action  over  words. 

284 


Penny  of  Top  Hill  Trail 


She  scanned  the  side  of  the  road  keenly  for 
a  way,  and  when  she  recognized  the  memor- 
able little  clump  of  trees,  she  spoke  in  plaintive 
tone. 

"  Aren't  we  going  to  stop  at  all,  Mr.  Sheriff 
Man?" 

Instinctively  he  stopped  the  car. 

She  climbed  out  and  went  toward  the  trees. 
As  in  a  dream  he  mechanically  followed  her. 

"  Do  you  remember  our  camping  place  that 
night?  "  she  asked. 

"  Do  I  remember  ?  If  you  knew  how  I  bat- 
tled with  my  best  and  strongest  feeling  that 
night ! " 

"  Kurt,  you  know  in  the  library  at  Top  Hill 
last  night  —  no,  night  before  last,  you  asked 
me  something.  I  didn't  answer.  I  will 
answer  now.  Kurt,  I  love  you!  Now  will 
you  ask  me  —  the  rest  of  it?  " 

"Penelope!" 

"Oh!  You  do  —  care  —  Kurt.  Your 
mother's  name ! " 


THE   END. 


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